|
“It doesn’t really feel like playoff hockey” to Tuukka Rask |
|
|
|
|
|
All throughout round-robin play, the Bruins often talked about how their three round-robin contests felt like preseason games.
Their play on the ice certainly backed that up.
With their 0-3 effort in round-robin play, combined with their comments following it, it became a matter of are the Bruins using this as an excuse? Or are they really treating these as meaningless hockey games?
Their play in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series with the Carolina Hurricanes made it seem like it was the latter of the two.
But then came Game 2 and Tuukka Rask’s comments after dropping the contest to the ‘Canes, 3-2.
“To be honest with you, it doesn’t really feel like playoff hockey because there, there’s no fans. It’s kind of like you’re playing an exhibition game,” Rask said.
“Obviously, there are some scrums after the whistle. I haven’t noticed that they would be targeting me or what not. Things happen, people falling on you and what not. But it’s definitely not a playoff atmosphere.”
Rask got the nod once again in Game 2 after stopping 25 of 28 shots in Wednesday’s Game 1 victory.
Playing in back-to-back contests is something Rask has not had to do much of during his time in Boston and especially when back-to-backs are not the norm in playoff hockey.
But with how 2020 has gone to date, and the NHL’s bubble hockey version of the Stanley Cup Playoffs underway after an extended pause, the norm has completely gone out the window.
“Considering I had four months off, I’m not in prime shape. But I’m trying to get there,” Rask said when asked about his physical condition through four games in Toronto.
“I’m just trying to have fun and play the game. I’m not stressing too much about the results and whatnot. You know, it’s August and I haven’t played hockey. So just go out there and have fun, and see what happens for me.”
Rask’s comments about the playoff like atmosphere—or lack thereof—and his comments about not stressing about August results won’t give you a warm and fuzzy feeling about where Rask’s game is at from a mental standpoint.
I thought Rask was okay in Game 1, and better in Game 2.
Now let’s not forget that just because Rask is not stressing over August results, it doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t care about winning August hockey games.
Because if you don’t win hockey games in August, you won’t have hockey games to try and win in September and then again in October when the Stanley Cup will be up for grabs.
“You try to play as hard as you can. Obviously, you know, you’re playing a best-of-seven series so there’s gonna be some battles going on and whatnot. But when you play in your home rink, and you play in an away rink, there’s fans cheering for you and against you and that creates another buzz around the series. So there’s none of that. So it just feels, like, dull at times,” said Rask.
“There’s moments that, okay, there’s little scrums and whatnot. There’s no atmosphere. So it feels like an exhibition game. But, you know, we’re trying our best to kind of ramp up and get energized and make it feel like a playoff game.”
Brad Marchand, who leading up to Tuesday’s—then Wednesday’s—Game 1 was the ‘round-robin games were just preseason games’ team captain, was even singing a different tune after Game 2, while defending Rask’s comments.
“No, I think maybe he was just talking about the round-robin games. I didn’t see his comments but the round-robin games for us were exhibition games. They should not be labeled playoff games. And those were ones that we were trying to prepare for the game. Maybe he was talking about that,” he said.
“These are playoff games; playoff atmosphere and we’re going to compete. We’re going to compete. It’s definitely different. There is no question. It doesn’t have the same atmosphere and there is no home ice advantage. It’s just straight up hockey at this point. Unfortunately, that is the playoffs this year and at least we’re playing.”
Like Marchand said, at least they’re playing, and whether it feels like it or not, they’re playing playoff hockey.
Boston Bruins Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»