Have you been missing last year’s playoff phenom Tuukka Rask? I think we all have. Fantastic Finnish names are hard to come by and so are super talented goalies. Of course, Rask is playing second fiddle to another great goalie in his own right in Tim Thomas, so Tuukka Mania can’t run wild as often as we’d like to see. That’s what makes moments like tonight a little bit more special.
With the Bruins tied 1-1 late in the second period with Minnesota, the Wild were circling in the Boston zone. Kyle Brodziak drew the attention of Boston’s defense and managed to leave the Wild’s lone goal scorer to that point in the game, Martin Havlat, all alone by the far post. Brodziak fired a great pass across the zone to a wide open Havlat to fire upon a yawning net. Rask tracked the puck all the way across and made an incredible lunging save with his glove to prevent Havlat from potting his second goal of the night.
Boston fans erupted on the save and broke out the long-dormant “TUU-KKA!” chant and made us think back to last year’s playoffs once again. The Bruins ruined the night for Rask giving up a pair of goals in the third on the way to a 3-1 loss to Minnesota, but for one moment Tuukka Mania was back.
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