The Boston Bruins took on the New York Rangers on Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston. Jonas Gustavsson missed the game due to being with his wife while she is expecting their first child. Jeremy Smith played the entire game in net the fact that Gustavsson missed the game could be very telling.
I am probably looking into this too much but if he was comfortable missing, could he be sticking with the Bruins after camp? In any event Jeremy Smith got to play the entire game, and Bruins upper management was able to get an extended look at Smith. He played pretty well allowing three goals on 22 shots, for a shootout victory 4-3.
Smith at times looked out of position and in the shootout had a hard time reading the shooters, but overall a solid game. Gustavsson would still be my pick for the back-up with Malcolm Subban second in line. The biggest storyline of the game was losing Zdeno Chara early into the game the Bruins can’t afford to lose their only other big minute defenseman.
Chara did not return to the game with what was described as an upper body injury, if Chara is out for a long period of time the Bruins will have to make some sort of move for a top four defensemen. Colin Miller had a solid game against the Rangers, his offense was on display in many of the first team reps on the power play and assisted Spooner’s goal.
Miller looks more and more like Torey Krug 2.0, an offensive defenseman who doesn’t get lost in the rush and can still get back. Brandon Carlo also added a goal from the backend, while Joe Morrow added an assist on Tyler Randell’s goal in the first period. The game saw many of the Bruins top players make their preseason debut, Bergeron, Marchand and Eriksson all looked great in the game for the Bruins.
Marchand had the game winner for the Bruins in the shootout, and looked like a leader out on the ice. Tyler Randall and Ryan Spooner represented the offense on the score sheet. But it was Frank Vatrano who played solid in this game for the Bruins, and was rewarded with the second shot in the shootout which he scored on. Vatrano will probably end up in Providence this season, but the Bruins will have a good looking offensive prospect developing.
My three stars of the game, tonight not all of them are Bruins after this game. Third star Mats Zuccarello, looked like a man among boys and had a two point game tying it up at a critical point. Second star Jeremy Smith, it was a tall task for someone who has never played in the NHL, but with king Henrik across the ice Smith played pretty well.
Smith was able to weather the Rangers shots for much of the game, and came up with the saves in the shootout when it mattered most. First star Brad Marchand, he had the game winner in the shootout and looked solid playing alongside Bergeron on the Bruins first line. The Bruins will take on the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena
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