Anthony Travalgia: How Trent Frederic changed the course of Monday’s contest Trent Frederic's fight with Tom Wilson provided a spark for the Bruins en route to a 5-2 comeback win.

The Bruins young D are looking impressive.

The momentum of this game changed well before the Fredrick fight. Bruins had tilted ice towards end of 2nd. Good on him stepping up but Washington sitting on the lead is what changed this game.

Frederic can skate and looks to be a throwback type Bruin. Fearless and hardworking is a nice combination in a young player . Lauzon looks to be the same type. Nice to see the bruins playing a lineup with some bite along with skill . Was worried when they let Chara walk but if they play Freddie , Ritchie, Miller along with the gritty players like Wagner, Kuraly it’s a lineup with skill, grit and attitude. I like it . Maybe they can get Debrusk to play harder when he gets back. Time for him to step it up .

He reminds me a little bit of a young David Backes with better wheels.

2 nights of 3 goal comebacks. Thats awesome. No quit in this team. I am loving these back to back games too, with so many divisional games, every point seems so important, one regulation loss is a 4 pt swing.

May be a little early, but I'm getting excited about these guys. I'm also liking hearing the term Big Bad Bruins being used more often. Thru their history, the B's have had most of their success when they've been "big and bad". The Eddie Shore era is a good example and of course, the Bobby Orr era. Both had the perfect combination of offense, defense and toughness. Today's B's I think are begining to help in that combination. On the offensive side they have Bergy, Marchy and Pasta. Pasta is on the verge of superstardom. Smith is performing as advertised, and will get better. Ritchie seems to have finally settled in. DeBrusk has potential, but seems to need to be "slapped" to retain focus. Defense. McAvoy is a budding superstar. He's responded well to the pressure this season with the loss of Z and Krug. Carlo is a potential #1 on most other teams. D will almost certainly improve as Grzelcyk, Lauson, et al gain experience. Goal. Rask and Halak are the best duo in the league. Frederic and Miller bring the toughness. Yup, I'm excited about this year's team.

May be a little early, but I'm getting excited about these guys. I'm also liking hearing the term Big Bad Bruins being used more often. Thru their history, the B's have had most of their success when they've been "big and bad". The Eddie Shore era is a good example and of course, the Bobby Orr era. Both had the perfect combination of offense, defense and toughness. Today's B's I think are begining to help in that combination. On the offensive side they have Bergy, Marchy and Pasta. Pasta is on the verge of superstardom. Smith is performing as advertised, and will get better. Ritchie seems to have finally settled in. DeBrusk has potential, but seems to need to be "slapped" to retain focus. Defense. McAvoy is a budding superstar. He's responded well to the pressure this season with the loss of Z and Krug. Carlo is a potential #1 on most other teams. D will almost certainly improve as Grzelcyk, Lauson, et al gain experience. Goal. Rask and Halak are the best duo in the league. Frederic and Miller bring the toughness. Yup, I'm excited about this year's team.
- shamrock26

Rask seems off this year so far. His SV% of 0.890 is very pedestrian.

Rask seems off this year so far. His SV% of 0.890 is very pedestrian.
- Nasty_Duck

That's a little more in line with a "typical" Rask early season level. He came out of the gate red hot last season which was not the norm (likely due to the shorter off-season due to the Cup run the year before?). Also think something is tweaked from the Pens game that he is now dealing with...if he is still at this level 3 weeks from now then I'll be concerned.

That's a little more in line with a "typical" Rask early season level. He came out of the gate red hot last season which was not the norm (likely due to the shorter off-season due to the Cup run the year before?). Also think something is tweaked from the Pens game that he is now dealing with...if he is still at this level 3 weeks from now then I'll be concerned.
- bluemoon737

Bruins are also only giving up like 23 shots a game, which is insanely low. Probably doesn't help the save percentage stat line.

Rasks shortcomings are more evident with each passing season.
I've been saying for like 8 years, trade him away while his stock is high. Probably won't get FA for him now. It would be good riddance to him and his me first attitude.

Rasks shortcomings are more evident with each passing season.
I've been saying for like 8 years, trade him away while his stock is high. Probably won't get FA for him now. It would be good riddance to him and his me first attitude.
- shoreorrpark

We'll agree to disagree. Rask was second in Vezina voting last year (and didn't win only due to workload) and was a shoo-in for the Conn Smythe if the Bruins had won the cup. I have no issues with re-signing him after this season (for no more than 3 years at a reasonable price, of course subject to change if he completely bombs this season).

We'll agree to disagree. Rask was second in Vezina voting last year (and didn't win only due to workload) and was a shoo-in for the Conn Smythe if the Bruins had won the cup. I have no issues with re-signing him after this season (for no more than 3 years at a reasonable price, of course subject to change if he completely bombs this season).
- bluemoon737

Yes, we'll agree to disagree. Tuukka Rask has been a beneficiary of Bostons fantastic defensive systems, first employed by Claude and now by Butch. Gimmie Carey Price, Braden Holtby, Lundquist or any of the true top tenders of the last decade and we would be still in the middle of a dynasty. Rask is soft and mentally weak. He's only able to show off great stats because of the Bruins system. Look no further than all of the Back up goalies who've go on to cash in elsewhere after playing for said system. (Most aren't even in the league anymore, which is very telling) Believe it or not, but it's absolute gospel what I've written here.

Yes, we'll agree to disagree. Tuukka Rask has been a beneficiary of Bostons fantastic defensive systems, first employed by Claude and now by Butch. Gimmie Carey Price, Braden Holtby, Lundquist or any of the true top tenders of the last decade and we would be still in the middle of a dynasty. Rask is soft and mentally weak. He's only able to show off great stats because of the Bruins system. Look no further than all of the Back up goalies who've go on to cash in elsewhere after playing for said system. (Most aren't even in the league anymore, which is very telling) Believe it or not, but it's absolute gospel what I've written here.
- shoreorrpark

I'll give you GAA is as much team defense as it is goalie, but save % a bit less so and Rask continues to be at or near the top. So what back ups are you talking about? Halak was and still is a good goalie. Look at Khudobin...was good here and is still good in Dallas. Johnson was okay as a starter and did "better" here but not stellar. Subban, sucked in his few shots here and briefly did "okay" in Vegas but now he's where???

Yes, we'll agree to disagree. Tuukka Rask has been a beneficiary of Bostons fantastic defensive systems, first employed by Claude and now by Butch. Gimmie Carey Price, Braden Holtby, Lundquist or any of the true top tenders of the last decade and we would be still in the middle of a dynasty. Rask is soft and mentally weak. He's only able to show off great stats because of the Bruins system. Look no further than all of the Back up goalies who've go on to cash in elsewhere after playing for said system. (Most aren't even in the league anymore, which is very telling) Believe it or not, but it's absolute gospel what I've written here.
- shoreorrpark

how was that team defense in the playoffs last year? Think Rask would have made a difference? I'm the first to bash Rask for bailing on the team last year, but he's still one of the 3 best goalies in the league.

Yes, we'll agree to disagree. Tuukka Rask has been a beneficiary of Bostons fantastic defensive systems, first employed by Claude and now by Butch. Gimmie Carey Price, Braden Holtby, Lundquist or any of the true top tenders of the last decade and we would be still in the middle of a dynasty. Rask is soft and mentally weak. He's only able to show off great stats because of the Bruins system. Look no further than all of the Back up goalies who've go on to cash in elsewhere after playing for said system. (Most aren't even in the league anymore, which is very telling) Believe it or not, but it's absolute gospel what I've written here.
- shoreorrpark

If Rask is soft, what is Carey Price? Carey Price has not won anything without an All Star Team Canada in front of him.

how was that team defense in the playoffs last year? Think Rask would have made a difference? I'm the first to bash Rask for bailing on the team last year, but he's still one of the 3 best goalies in the league.
- 77emac77

Exploited by the eventual Stanley Cup Champions.
No.
No he isn't.

If Rask is soft, what is Carey Price? Carey Price has not won anything without an All Star Team Canada in front of him.
- Mahewman

Price is a better goalie than Rask, Imo.

I'll give you GAA is as much team defense as it is goalie, but save % a bit less so and Rask continues to be at or near the top. So what back ups are you talking about? Halak was and still is a good goalie. Look at Khudobin...was good here and is still good in Dallas. Johnson was okay as a starter and did "better" here but not stellar. Subban, sucked in his few shots here and briefly did "okay" in Vegas but now he's where???
- bluemoon737

Dobby is the best of the lot and also benefits from playing in Dallas' defensive system.

Exploited by the eventual Stanley Cup Champions.
No.
No he isn't.
- shoreorrpark

Well the NHL GMs would tend to differ based on last year's Vezina voting...

Well the NHL GMs would tend to differ based on last year's Vezina voting...
- bluemoon737

For sure. It's only MY opinion. The gospel according to Shoreorrpark.

I don’t care if it went off provys stick. HELL YEAH PASTA. GO BRUINS!!!

I hear that Pastrnak kid has promise...

For sure. It's only MY opinion. The gospel according to Shoreorrpark.
- shoreorrpark

Ahh, the infamous lost gospel...

12 seconds in, 15 seconds left...nice bookends.