Rask Delivers as Stakes Rise

Some will call it karma, others acknowledge the irony.

Still, others will deem Tuukka Rask's concluding save Friday as fitting, the final bow on a series which was anything but ordinary.

As Rask calmly snatched a wrist shot amid a last-ditch flurry of shots and activity from almost-Bruin Jarome Iginla, a crescendo of noise and emotion washed over the TD Garden. On the surface, Rask was only doing what he mastered throughout the relatively painless four game series, save pucks.

In fact, Rask saved all but two Penguins shots over the series, stymieing the "greatest show on ice" in addition to blanking both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin of any point production. Rask posted a .985 save percentage, stopped 134 total shots, and dazzled many a time, including a dramatic 53 save performance in a potentially momentum-turning Game Three double-overtime thriller.

A performance as impressive as Rask's would be appreciated by any hockey town in pursuit of Lord Stanley's Cup. But it's arguable that Rask's flare for the dramatic came at the perfect time for a team desperate for a story-line to ride deep into the heart of the 2013 playoffs.

There was a time long ago (alright, maybe it was only a couple weeks) where the entire framework of the Boston Bruins hung in suspense.

Fueled by rabid sports talk radio, rumors of Claude Julien's demise and roster overhaul plagued the Bruins. The general scene on social media as the Bruins trailed the Toronto Maple Leafs by three goals in the third period of Game Seven was ugly. Shockingly, the Bruins were ready to roll over on home ice and hand the Leafs the keys to another round of playoff success.

Fortunately for Bruins fans, history was made and the Bruins are still standing today. And while Patrice Bergeron and the offense will receive plenty of credit for turning the tide in rapid fashion, many will forget a play made with 3:37 left in the contest. Clinging to a two-goal lead, Toronto's Matt Frattin had a chance to end it.

Here, Tuukka Rask's playoff run was born.

Rask stonewalled Frattin with a magnificent pad save, preserving the current score and allowing the comeback to proceed.

Since that moment, number 40 has protected the net of the Black and Gold for 32 periods. He's allowed 12 goals and lost only one game.

Hockey is a fickle beast. In no other sport can teams become a beacon of destiny just as quickly as they can be written off as a forgotten foe, an early casualty in a grueling playoff grind. Momentum is real and it is spectacular, often becoming just as important as more tangible factors.

Much like in baseball where momentum is only as good as the next day's pitcher, a lot of carryover success in hockey stems from the goaltending. No team has embodied the play and spirit of their goalie more than the Boston Bruins.

Tuukka Rask is a calm goalie. Late-game losses withstanding, Rask is generally regarded as a cool character, even described as one of the more "normal" goaltenders by coach Claude Julien. On the ice, Rask is confident and capable. His dominance within his crease is a result of calculated movements and steady mechanics.

Rask could not be more opposite than his predecessor Tim Thomas. Despite the contrasting styles, Rask has answered questions and heard comparisons to Thomas throughout his tenure in Boston. Thomas' 2011 Stanley Cup performance will forever be considered etched in Boston lore, which makes it all the more difficult for Rask to operate within his shadow. Up until his most recent series against Pittsburgh, Rask's largest playoff moments of note were his 2010 collapse against the Philadelphia Flyers and his infamous "butt-stumble" against New York.

Now, Rask oozes confidence and is quickly manufacturing playoff success. His play has energized his defense and instilled a quiet confidence throughout the team, providing a steady hand during the most stressful time of year. It's taken only a few weeks for Rask to turn from playoff question mark to budding superstar.

Rask needs only one more series to fully erase any memories of 2010 and anchor his place as one of the game's strongest goalies. And while Rask lacks the highlight reel signature saves that punctuated the 2011 Stanley Cup run, he plans to emerge from Tim Thomas' shadow by writing his own script.

Hopefully he reuses the same ending.