Tuukka Rask Answers Critics — Most Notably His Coach — In Bruins’ Win Over Predators

“He needed to be better tonight.”

Boston Bruins interim head coach Bruce Cassidy sat in front of reporters last week after a disappointing 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning — a defeat that had B’s fans worrying about another springtime free fall — and spoke those words about Tuukka Rask, the team’s All-Star goaltender.

“Well, he’s played a lot, but I don’t have the answer, to be honest. He needed to be better tonight,” Cassidy said, offering a brutally honest assessment of his $7 million goalie, who had just allowed five goals. “We needed to be better in front of him, and he needed to be better on some of those goals. Focus shouldn’t — what is it, March 23? —  really our focus needs to be there.

“You would hope it’s more fatigue than focus at this point of the year, but I can only speculate,” Cassidy said, sighing as his voice trailed.

Rask coincidentally missed the Bruins’ game Saturday night in Brooklyn with a lower body injury, but he returned Tuesday night and was between the pipes in a pivotal game against the Nashville Predators. And wouldn’t you know it, the former Vezina Trophy winner had one of his best games of the season.

Rask stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced, the only goal coming on a fluky third-period deflection as Boston skated away with a huge 4-1 win. Not only was Rask “better,” so too were his teammates — they blocked an absurd 24 shots — but the goalie made the saves when they counted, turning away eight of nine shots in the final 20 minutes as Nashville turned up the heat.

Seemingly everyone rushed to Twitter to fire off some variation of “What do you think now, Tuukka haters?” tweet, as Rask had come under fire not only for the performance against Tampa Bay and the couple of games that preceded it, but also for missing the New York Islanders game, a curious development compounded by the fact Rask missed last season’s finale with an illness. The Bruins, of course, lost that game and missed the playoffs by one point.

And while social media, talk radio and the uninformed — or the scary intersection of all three — were hard on Rask, you have to wonder whether Cassidy’s criticism hit closest to home.

Rask insisted Tuesday night that he doesn’t listen to the outside noise, and that very well might be the case. But you have to wonder if Cassidy saw an opportunity to push a button and recharge his star goalie for the final stretch run.

And really, what did Cassidy have to lose? He’s still operating under the interim tag, and next season isn’t guaranteed for him. Why not try to get the attention of one of his best players? And it’s not like Cassidy — in his ninth season in the Boston organization — doesn’t know how Rask operates. He knows the goalie is one of the most competitive people in that dressing room, one who certainly wouldn’t enjoy being publicly taken to task by his coach.

A big part of coaching is knowing who you can kick in the pants and when you can do it. So while some might have wondered whether Cassidy fell back into the habits that made his first NHL stint in Washington brief and icy, don’t discount the possibility he was, you know, coaching.

Regardless, Rask’s performance Tuesday impressed the interim bench boss.

“It was going to be a test for (Rask),” Cassidy told reporters after the game. “I thought he answered the bell in a terrific manner.”

Thumbnail photo via Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports Images