Player Discussion Tuukka Rask - VII

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DarrenBanks56

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May 16, 2005
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Interestingly enough, Rask run in 2013 was equally as legendary but all his detractors want to focus on are two goals that he was left out to dry on.

Thomas 2011 - 1.98 GAA / .940 SV% / 4 SO
Rask 2013 - 1.88 GAA / .940 SV% / 3 SO

We've been lucky to have some great goaltending for 15 years and I hopeful Swayman/Keyser/Vladar and keep it going.
the thing that stood out for me with Thomas that year was the 2 shutouts he had in game 7s.
 

Krupp

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Apr 6, 2012
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All during the 2013 Run
63 SOG vs CHI / 59 Saves
54 SOG vs PIT / 53 Saves
48 SOG vs TOR / 45 Saves
47 SOG vs TOR / 45 Saves

Shows what I know :laugh:

But are those from individual games, or overall series and total shots? Legitimately asking.
 

Aussie Bruin

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the thing that stood out for me with Thomas that year was the 2 shutouts he had in game 7s.

Yep, absolute clutch, defining performances, the types of games that get you remembered forever.

I've commented on this before, but it's interesting and worth repeating - Rask's overall playoff numbers are outstanding (.927 SV%, 2.19 GAA), up there with the very best of all time. Not quite Thomas level but he's already played a fair bit more postseason hockey than Tim ever did.

But in games where the Bruins are facing elimination, whether that be a game 4, 5, 6 or 7 in any particular series, he's not quite so good. In those games Rask's numbers are a .891 SV% and a 2.75 GAA, with a 6-6 W/L record. Not terrible, but far from amazing. So Tuukka presents as a slightly curious case - like most of the great goalies he ups his game in playoffs and puts in some of his best performances, but in the absolute clutch, no tomorrow games, more often than not he's just ok. Had a couple of great wins that he's stolen almost single-handedly, but also a few games where he's been not quite as sharp as you would hope.

Is this just bad luck, poor team defense letting him down, or has it been a mental thing where he finds it just that little bit harder to lock in and play his instinctive best in these types of games? Hard to say, but to me it remains the one question mark on an otherwise stellar career.
 

Wiggleboom

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Feb 6, 2010
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If he is seriously thinking about retiring, it might work out well for the Bruins. Maybe he will keep playing while the team is a Cup contender and sign yearly 1 year deals like Chara has been.
 

sooshii

still dancing
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Strange days indeed.
47E58F60-0AD4-495A-B60C-26CA5DDBAD3E.png
 

Smitty93

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Dec 6, 2012
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I happened to be looking at Tuukka's playoff game log today and I realized a crazy fact that I knew, but never really thought about: Tuukka has never lost a game in the Conference Final (and his stats are ridiculous).

W-LSV%GAASO
8-0.9720.823
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

It made me want to look at his other stats by playoff round. In terms of series victories, he's 5-1 in the 1st Round, 2-3 in the 2nd Round, 2-0 in the Conference Final, and 0-2 :( in the Stanley Cup Final.

1st Round
W-LSV%GAASO
22-16.9252.261
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

2nd Round
W-LSV%GAASO
15-15.9182.414
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Stanley Cup Final
W-LSV%GAASO
5-8.9232.61
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
 
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RustyBruins72

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Jul 29, 2005
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So I'm watching highlights of Game 7 from 2010 for the first time, ever. Like, ever. I worked the night of the game and when the highlights came on at Boston Pizza after we were done I went to the bathroom.

My question is, was Thomas hurt? Why was Rask playing?
 

Smitty93

Registered User
Dec 6, 2012
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So I'm watching highlights of Game 7 from 2010 for the first time, ever. Like, ever. I worked the night of the game and when the highlights came on at Boston Pizza after we were done I went to the bathroom.

My question is, was Thomas hurt? Why was Rask playing?

Rask had a much better year than Thomas and had taken over as the starting goalie. They probably should have considered going with Thomas after Game 5, but I understand sticking with Rask when he had a much better season.
 

BigGoalBrad

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Jun 3, 2012
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Hes underrated because he doesn't wear huge pads and isn't 6 -5 with ginormous pads.

Love me some Tuukka.

2 U's 2 K's 2 Points baby.
 

Emerz

#1 PLD Fanboy
Jun 5, 2013
10,115
9,244
Nova Scotia
I happened to be looking at Tuukka's playoff game log today and I realized a crazy fact that I knew, but never really thought about: Tuukka has never lost a game in the Conference Final (and his stats are ridiculous).

W-LSV%GAASO
8-0.9720.823
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
It made me want to look at his other stats by playoff round. In terms of series victories, he's 5-1 in the 1st Round, 2-3 in the 2nd Round, 2-0 in the Conference Final, and 0-2 :( in the Stanley Cup Final.

1st Round
W-LSV%GAASO
22-16.9252.261
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
2nd Round
W-LSV%GAASO
15-15.9182.414
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
Stanley Cup Final
W-LSV%GAASO
5-8.9232.61
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

How in the world does Rask have a 5-8 record with a .923 save percentage in the finals, must not have got any goal support.
 

Smitty93

Registered User
Dec 6, 2012
8,196
9,361
How in the world does Rask have a 5-8 record with a .923 save percentage in the finals, must not have got any goal support.

Here's the breakdown:

Chicago series - Blackhawks outscore Bruins 17-15, including 1 CHI ENG. Series includes 3 OT games, where Bruins went 1-2. Excluding their 5 goal Game 4, the Bruins averaged 2 goals per game in the other 5 games. Bruins go 1-3 in 1-goal games. Bruins went 1-2 at Home and Away.

St. Louis series - Bruins outscore Blues 22-18, including 3 BOS ENG & 1 STL ENG. (Not so fun fact, when I checked last summer, I found only 1 other case in the last 50+ years where a team outscored their opponent in the Stanley Final and didn't win.) Series had just 1 OT game, which the Bruins lost. Bruins went 0-2 in 1-goal games. Bruins went 1-3 at Home and 2-1 Away.

I think the crushing blow in both series was their inability to win those 1-goal games. They went 1-5 between them, which includes going 1-3 in OT (2-6 if you include the two games that included ENG where it would have been a 1-goal game without them). They basically went 3-1 in games where neither team had a chance to tie at the end (i.e. down by more than 1 goal). That's why I have trouble blaming Rask because all you want from your goalie is to give you a chance to win, and he did that. I mean, in the last 4 games in both series, they scored 2 goals or fewer in 6 of the 8 games. How the hell are you supposed to win like that?
 
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