There is still a lot of playoff hockey to play (any Bruins fan will assure you that the team’s second-round series with the Rangers is not close to being over), but it’s not too early to take a look at who some of Boston’s top performers have been so far.
The short list obviously has to include goalie Tuukka Rask, who leads all netminders with seven wins in the postseason and has yet to allow more than two goals in any of the three Eastern Conference semifinal games.
On the offensive end, the Bruins’ first line has been stellar, despite being neutralized by Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers in Game 3 on Tuesday. David Krejci leads all scorers in the playoffs with 16 points (five goals, 11 assists), and Nathan Horton, Krejci and Milan Lucic rank first, second and third, respectively, in the NHL in postseason plus-minus.
Lucic has also resurrected the physical play he has been known for throughout his career, pairing his 10 points (three goals, seven assists) with a number of thunderous hits.
And not to be overlooked on the defensive end is captain Zdeno Chara. The team’s trio of young blueliners have gotten much of the attention for their pleasantly surprising success against New York, but Chara has been the workhorse of the bunch, leading all Bruins skaters in average ice time by more than six minutes (29:23). He has also contributed on the scoresheet, tying with Lucic for second on the squad with 10 points (two goals, eight assists).
Which player gets your vote for team MVP through the first 10 playoff games? Voice your opinion in the poll below.
