Talking points from the B's win over the Leafs. . .
GOLD STAR: Clearly it was Sean Kuraly, who finished with a goal and three points while factoring into every single one of the goals scored by the Bruins. It was Kuraly that set up the game-winner when he protected a puck against the sideboards, turned quickly and found David Pastrnak for a wide-open chance right in front of the net. Add that to his second-period sniper shot from the face-off circle and his generally strong play in 16 minutes of ice time, and the plus-3 rating for the night as well, and it’s pretty clear the fourth line forward truly had it going on. Kuraly now has four goals in his last 10 games with an offense that’s heating up.
BLACK EYE: Nikita Zaitsev was on ice for all three goals against for the Maple Leafs, and as one of the stronger Toronto D-zone players really shows that the Leafs don’t have much in the way of defensive stoppers. Zaitsev also had three giveaways and didn’t factor much in the offense with a shot on net, three hits and three giveaways for a Leafs defensemen group that had a whole lot of giveaways in general in this game. He didn’t get the black eye, but Jake Gardiner’s giveaway in the second period to the fourth line for a goal was pretty awful as well.
TURNING POINT: The Bruins didn’t play well at all in the first period and probably could have been down a couple of goals, but instead they got a spurt of energy late in the period and scored a goal to take the lead headed into the first intermission. It was the David Krejci goal that really pushed the momentum toward the Bruins, and they never gave up much after that. The B’s did that again later in the second period where they really ticked up the effort level and the execution factor, and it played into them ending up with the big two points.
HONORABLE MENTION: It’s got to be Tuukka Rask, who made 15 saves in the first period and was outstanding in the first period while holding back the Leafs until the Bruins could get on the scoreboard. Then Rask stepped up even more in the second period when he turned away a Mitch Marner shorthanded breakaway, and stopped a couple of other Leafs shorthanded attempts at offense. He was clearly aided as well by some good plays by his defensemen, but Rask was cool, collected and standing tall against Toronto in the win. Give Rask credit: He’s been extremely good for a couple of weeks now and has been excellent since the Christmas break.
BY THE NUMBERS: 3 – the number of points for Sean Kuraly in the win, which registers as a career-high for the second-year fourth line forward that’s been getting his offensive game going lately.
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QUOTE TO NOTE: “Right now our energy line is getting a lot of offense for us. Good for them because they’ve earned it all year, and I’m glad they’re finally getting rewarded.” –Bruce Cassidy to NESN on a fourth line that’s really become an effective trio for the Bruins.
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