Posted in Rask, Recaps November 21st, 2007
Wow, that’s easily my most obnoxiously cutesy title yet. Just be happy Mark Stuart didn’t do anything noteworthy, otherwise I’d have crammed him in there too.
As you may have guessed (or at least hopefully translated), heir-apparent franchise goalie Tuukka Rask won in his first NHL game by stopping 30 of 32 shots on goal. After a somewhat shaky start…including a soft goal given up to Sundin…Rask settled down and let the Bruins get back into the game. Kobasew scored the game winner with 3:31 left and then potted an empty netter for his 2nd of the game.
As for Rask, the only way this could have had a better ending (well, aside from a shutout) would have been if he bested Andrew Raycroft…the man he was traded for…instead of Vesa Toskala.
Posted in Toivonen, Rask, Playoffs May 9th, 2007
Well, so much for a prodigy preview in the Providence postseason.
While Hannu Toivonen came within two minutes and nine seconds of a shutout last night during last night’s win, it wasn’t Tuukka Rask watching from the bench, it was still Jordan Sigalet. Today’s Providence Journal clears up matters.
He (Rask) will remain with the P-Bruins for the rest of the postseason, but he’s not going to play, according to Providence coach Scott Gordon. Starting goaltender Hannu Toivonen has been told as much, too.
Rask, whose rights were acquired by Boston from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Andrew Raycroft last summer, has joined the P-Bruins to get himself acclimated to the North American environment in preparation for next season.
Well, I guess that makes sense. You know, give the rookie a tour of the campus, provide him with a security badge, a cubicle and an email account before he starts doing REAL work.
Still. It’d be nice to see him sneak in there for a little while. Maybe during some garbage time (God forbid that happens) to see what he can do.
But enough about Rask, how about that Hannu! A 1-0 shutout going late into the third period, an Oleg Tverdovsky power play goal with 2:09 remaining to tie it up, and then a retaliation power play goal by T.J. Trevelyan a mere 39 seconds later to put the Bruins on top again and to put Providence up two games to one in the series.
Oh Oleg, how far have you fallen? The former #2 overall pick thirteen summers ago and the defensive anchor of my fantasy hockey teams in the late nineties and early “aughts”. Now, you’re playing in Manchester. What a shame.
Posted in Toivonen, Rask May 6th, 2007
Currently manning the pipes in Boston is Tim Thomas, a man whose first name might as well be “34-year old”. He’s got tenure right now, albeit with just 108 games under his “Beware of Bear” mask. He played lights out hockey this season, but it always seems like someone’s breathing down his neck.
Over one shoulder is Hannu Toivonen, who seems to be the prodigal son. He was more or less dubbed the goaltender of the future when taken with the 29th overall pick in the 2002 draft. After showing some promise in ‘05-06 he regressed this season….being more affected by the nightly spray of shots he faced than was Thomas. However, he didn’t go down without a fight. After being sent down to Providence, he’s now helping lead the team in the playoffs. As a result, the Bruins continued to show their faith in him by rewarding him with a one year contract extension.
Over the other shoulder is Tuukka Rask, the OTHER “goaltender of the future” acquired for Andrew Raycroft last year. Similar to Toivonen, he was drafted 21st overall in 2005. After a successful season in Finland, the Bruins rewarded him with a multi-year contract on Saturday.
So how is all of this going to play out? We might find out sooner rather than later. Rask is to join Providence for the duration of the Calder Cup playoffs. My fearless prognostication was that, barring a trade, Thomas and an undisclosed veteran (Joey MacDonald?) would stay in Boston while Toivonen and Rask would have a time share situation in Providence for a BATTLE OF THE PRODIGIES (insert Star Trek fight scene music here). Under this scenario, Toivonen and Rask would both be able to get a decent amount of playing time as opposed to riding the pine in Boston. So, even though the senior club’s season is over, Toivonen and Rask might be giving us a preview of next year is going to look like as soon as Tuesday night.
And to think, most Bruins fans have already mailed it in for this season!
