TAMPA – Headed into this second-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was a foregone conclusion that the Bruins were going to need more from some of their forwards that went quiet offensively in the first round.
At the top of that list was 33-year-old Rick Nash, who managed just a single power play goal in the seven-game first round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs despite finishing third on the Bruins in shots on net. Well, that all has changed in the second round with Nash collecting a pair of goals in a decisive 6-2 win over the Lightning at Amalie Arena in the first game of the best-of-seven series.
The first goal was one that actually opened the scoring in the first period as Nash camped out in front on the PP, and put a low tip on a David Pastrnak point blast that bounced its way through Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pads on the way to the back of the net. The second was even better as a 5-on-5 score in the second period for the eventual game-winner as a bullet from the top of the face-off circle bounced off the net’s elbow, hit the back of the net and then rocketed right out again with some steam on it.
For a player that’s always streaky scoring throughout his career, perhaps this is a sign of some great things to come in a big second series vs. the Lightning.
“It’s nice. Through my career, it’s always seemed like my goals come in bunches. The chances were there, which is good…and I was playing on the inside,” said Nash. “I finally got rewarded tonight. It was going to the net [on the first goal], and goalies are so good these days you have to take their eyes away with traffic. It was a nice shot by Pasta to get it into the lane.”
Prior to the game, Cassidy talked about the possibility that Nash could step up and dominate this second round offensively after a quiet opening series against the Toronto. Clearly, that was a distinct possibility given all the chances and shots on net that went unfulfilled in the first round vs. Toronto, but it was also noticeable that the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Nash was also getting a little closer to the net against the Tampa defense.
That played a bit of a role in the sudden offense for Nash, but it was also about the law of averages given how many close calls he had in the previous seven games.
Boston Bruins
“He had lots of chances in the previous series. I’m not trying to sugarcoat it here. He had his chances and didn’t score,” said Bruce Cassidy. “He’s a guy that history dictates he’ll score. So he did [in Game 1] and we needed it. If he keeps getting the chances he’s getting, I assume he’ll score more because that’s what he’s done. So it’s good timing for him and good for us.”
It was Jake DeBrusk that really carried things offensively for Boston’s second line during the first series vs. Toronto with his five goals scored, and now it looks like Nash is ready to do his part in the second round vs. Tampa. A hot-shooting Nash could really make things difficult for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but that will also clearly require the Bruins power forward to continue scoring in bunches like he has throughout his career.