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Tuukka Rask, Bruins blank Flyers to end nine-game winning streak

Posted on by Mike Dusak

The Flyers’ season-high nine-game winning streak is finally over.

All it took was a 36-save shutout effort from Tuukka Rask as the Bruins shutout the Flyers, 2-0, on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Boston rode a late second period power play goal all the way to the finish as Rask wouldn’t be beaten on a night that saw the Flyers throw everything but the kitchen sink at the netminder to no avail.

Boston would get the first scoring chance of the night as Joakim Nordstrom hopped on a Flyers turnover as Carter Hart erased his own misplay just over three minutes in.

Scott Laughton responded with a Flyers chance on Tuukka Rask at the other end, but the Bruins’ defense cleared the crease before the rebound could be had.

Back in the lineup and impactful, Shayne Gostisbehere faked out a Bruin and drew the first penalty of the night with Chris Wagner off for tripping. Ghost’s quick twitch head fake got Wagner to bit hard.

Rask would deny Travis Konecny with some left-handed larceny on the ensuing power play to keep things scoreless despite a golden chance for the Flyers. Rask would come up with a couple more dandy saves to send the Flyers away empty on the power play, but the chances were there.

With 3:54 left in the first Brad Marchand would go off for literally ripping down Jakub Voracek from behind to give the Flyers a late power play and a chance to break the scoreless tie.

Marchand’s penalty wouldn’t be as costly as his shootout gaffe from earlier this season, and we’d head to intermission scoreless after 20 minutes though Ivan Provorov would pickup a late penalty for high-sticking with nine seconds left.

Couple good chances for the Flyers on the ensuing Bruins power play, but Kevin Hayes’ 2-on-1 look wouldn’t go as Rask got a piece of the bid with his goal stick.

Boston’s best chance of the second would be after a Flyers turnover in their own zone, but Hart got post-to-post to deny David Pastrnak with his best save of the night a little over eight minutes left in the fast-paced second period.

Marchand would head right back to the penalty box for holding Sean Couturier with 5:48 left in the second and fans in Wells Fargo Center still waiting to feel the shake.

Rask wasn’t in the mood just yet, though, and continued his fine evening of work keeping the puck from the net behind him to send the Flyers’ power play away empty again despite a variety of chances.

Justin Braun would pull down Patrice Bergeron and put the Bruins on another late power play of their own with a little over three minutes left in the middle frame.

Boston would make their power play count as Matt Grzelcyk hammered home the one-timer from the point to give the visitors a 1-0 lead with 1:21 left in the period.

Both netminders would be tasked with making big saves to start the third but both Rask and Hart were up to the task early on in the one-goal game.

So well protecting and playing with a lead, the Bruins put the clamps down on the neutral through the middle of the period to stifle the Flyers’ push.

Not often the Flyers are the team being outplayed in a third period but the Bruins did just that though the first 15 minutes of the third, and were backed up by Rask’s fine work between the pipes to support.

Provorov nearly had an equalizer but Rask slid across the crease to nab the tip attempt with his right pad to keep the Bruins’ lead intact.

Some nights you just tip the cap towards the opposing netminder, gang.

Not that they’d need much insurance with Rask’s play at the other end, the Bruins would extend their lead to 2-0 as Bergeron beat Hart from distance with just over five minutes left to give Boston a commanding lead.

Facing a two-goal deficit late, Laughton would put the Bruins on the power play by picking up a high-sticking call. Not ideal as the Flyers’ nine-game winning streak headed towards grave jeopardy.

Alain Vigneault would pull Hart after the Flyers killed off Laughton’s penalty in search of narrowing the margin with two minutes still remaining. The extra man didn’t produce anything but another missed opportunity in a night full of them as the Flyers fell by that 2-0 final, saying goodbye to their nine-game winning streak as well.

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