Rask, Bruins defense keep Red Wings quiet

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BOSTON - When people talk about some of the problems the 2015-16 Bruins have, it doesn't take long before somebody brings up Tuukka Rask's name.

Rask hasn't been at his best. The former Vezina Trophy winner is nowhere near the discussion for that award this year.

How much of Rask's troubles are due to an underwhelming defense? That's also up for debate. But not up for debate is the performance of said defense and goaltender Thursday night in the Bruins' 5-2 win over the Red Wings.

Rask wasn't tasked with stopping 40 shots, but did come up big on a few of them.

He robbed Jonathan Ericsson of a shorthanded goal off a Torey Krug turnover in the first period, snagging the puck that was headed for the top left corner of the net.

Though the Wings played behind by multiple goals for virtually the entire game, they could still only muster up 15 shots.

Their first of two goals was off Adam McQuaid's skate in front of the net in the second period. The second goal came late in the third period with the game already in hand, when Andreas Anthanasiou's wrist shot beat Rask.

Otherwise, the Red Wings had no luck in the offensive end.

"Well, I think especially today we closed on them very quickly," Rask said. "We didn’t give them too much time to enter. We blocked a lot of shots, almost probably as many as they had on net and when you do those things I think it takes a lot of opportunities away from the other team."

Rask is right. The Bruins blocked 15 shots Thursday night. It was the kind of effort necessary to keep their season alive.

"We played a heck of a game," Rask said. "Everybody needed to step up and play as one and we did."

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