Despite his rocky season, Ryder has 18 goals and 21 assists for 39 points — a better mark than last season when he notched as many tallies to go with just 15 assists. It's a far cry, however, from two seasons ago when he posted 27 goals and 26 helpers in his first year with the B's. Ryder's penalty-shot snipe job on Saturday could spark the winger at just the right time, but it also may give both him and head coach Claude Julien some confidence in the veteran if and when shootouts decide one of the important remaining contests.
Which Bruin are you most confident in when a game comes down to a shootout or decisive late-game penalty shot?
Rookie Tyler Seguin leads the club this season with four shootout goals (on eight chances). The only other Bruins to have scored in shootouts this season have been Ryder (1-for-5) and the since-traded Blake Wheeler (1-for-2). Patrice Bergeron (0-for-3), David Krejci (0-for-2), Nathan Horton, Zdeno Chara, Rich Peverley and Milan Lucic are all 0-for-1 this year.
Veteran Mark Recchi, a first-ballot Hall of Famer who currently sits 19th all time in goals scored, certainly knows how to light the lamp, and, judging by this beauty at a B's recent practice, he'd be a trusty candidate.
