Tuukka Rask doesn't come up big in big games, they said. He can't steal games like Tim Thomas, they said.
Well on Sunday night, he came up big in Game 6 and was the biggest reason the Bruins carried a 1-0 lead into the third before pulling away and winning 5-1 to force a Game 7 Wednesday night at TD Garden.
Rask stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced while Jordan Binnington countered by stopping 27 of 31. Rask also got some crucial help from Charlie McAvoy, who batted a puck off the goal line after it had hit Rask in the back.
what a play by Charlie McAvoy. jeez pic.twitter.com/liJkzFXLN9
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93)
June 10, 2019 The scoring started because of two penalties taken by the Blues -- the first being a hit from behind by Brayden Schenn (surprise?) and the second from a Ryan O'Reilly delay of game.
David Pastrnak put the puck on a silver platter for Brad Marchand who one-timed it past Jordan Binnington on the 5-on-3 to make it 1-0 B's.
what a play by Charlie McAvoy. jeez pic.twitter.com/liJkzFXLN9
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93)
June 10, 2019 After no goals in the second period, it was Brandon Carlo who opened the third period with a tumbling wrister that beat Binnington to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead.
--GOAL--Carlo gets a fortunate bounce to make it a 2 goal game!#NHLBruins- 2#STLBlues- 0 pic.twitter.com/oIvWYQifBO
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS)
June 10, 2019 Prior to Game 6, Cassidy stayed with his decision to sit David Backes. But he switched back to six defensemen and added Karson Kuhlman to the second line.
And of course Kuhlman scored to make it 3-0.
After previously being healthy scratched, Kuhlman puts the Bruins up 3-0. pic.twitter.com/RBJmIqleYG
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets)
June 10, 2019 The Blues responded by barely beating Rask, as Ryan O'Reilly just snuck one past the goal line. Rask was so unbeatable Sunday night that the only way the Blues could score was on a save.
Even though the Blues had some momentum, the Bruins responded with David Pastrnak shooting one past Binnington to make it 4-1.
--GOAL--1st line is buzzing tonight as Pasta extends the lead!!#NHLBruins- 4#STLBlues- 1 pic.twitter.com/eM0ji6skBT
— Boston Bruins on CLNS (@BruinsCLNS)
June 10, 2019 And then broken jaw and all, Zdeno Chara scored an empty-netter to make it 5-1. Fitting, right?
The feeling around the NHL was that the Bruins would get a few makeup calls after the missed ones in Game 5. But surprisingly enough, the Blues had more power plays. There was one problem.
The Blues went 0 for 4 on the power play.
Heading into this Stanley Cup Final, the feeling was that the Bruins would hold the advantage in the special teams battle and that's exactly what happened on Sunday night.
The Bruins held the Blues to a bad night on the man-advantage while cashing in when they were a man up, going 1 for 2.
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