BOSTON – As it turned it out, the angst over goaltending in the city of Pittsburgh was directed toward the wrong puck stopper.
The debate was about which Pittsburgh goalie should start Game 3, but the Penguins' real problem was their inability to solve Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask.
The Finnish goalie made 53 saves to outduel Tomas Vokoun and lead the Bruins to dramatic 2-1 double-overtime win that puts the No. 1-seeded Penguins on the verge of elimination in the Eastern Conference finals.
"He's really giving us the saves we need, the energy and the momentum that we need in order to do the job in front of him," said Bruins center Patrice Bergeron.
Bergeron scored the game winner at 15:19 of the fifth period to end the longest Bruins' game since the 1990 Stanley Cup Final.
BOX SCORE: Bruins 2, Penguins 1 (2OT)
"At five periods, everyone is tired," Rask said. "But it's more of a mental challenge."
The Bruins, up 3-0 in the best-of-seven series, can complete the sweep with a win Friday in Game 4 (8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network).
The Penguins came into the series as the league's hottest scoring playoff team, averaging 4.27 goals per game, but the Bruins have limited them to two goals in nearly 11 full periods.
The Bruins killed all six Pittsburgh power plays in Wednesday's game, dropping the Penguins to 0-for-12 in the series.
"It was hard-fought all over the ice, and we threw a lot at them," said Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma. "We threw a lot at them in regulation, we threw 50-plus shots, and we played exactly how we wanted to play, just couldn't find the second goal."
Rask has stopped 108 of 110 Penguins shots for a .981 save percentage.
SCHEDULE: Dates, results and TV
"He has been our most consistent player all year long, and he just proved that again," said Bruins forward Chris Kelly.
Rask stopped 10 shots by Evgeni Malkin, eight by defenseman Kris Letang and seven by James Neal. Chris Kunitz got the only shot past him, tying the game 1-1 at 8:51 of the second period. David Krejci had given Boston a 1-0 lead 1:42 into the game.
The game-winning play started with 41-year-old Jaromir Jagr winning a puck battle against Malkin.
"He's a pretty strong individual," Rask said.
Bergeron said Jagr's play was indeed the fire-starter
The debate was about which Pittsburgh goalie should start Game 3, but the Penguins' real problem was their inability to solve Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask.
The Finnish goalie made 53 saves to outduel Tomas Vokoun and lead the Bruins to dramatic 2-1 double-overtime win that puts the No. 1-seeded Penguins on the verge of elimination in the Eastern Conference finals.
"He's really giving us the saves we need, the energy and the momentum that we need in order to do the job in front of him," said Bruins center Patrice Bergeron.
Bergeron scored the game winner at 15:19 of the fifth period to end the longest Bruins' game since the 1990 Stanley Cup Final.
BOX SCORE: Bruins 2, Penguins 1 (2OT)
"At five periods, everyone is tired," Rask said. "But it's more of a mental challenge."
The Bruins, up 3-0 in the best-of-seven series, can complete the sweep with a win Friday in Game 4 (8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network).
The Penguins came into the series as the league's hottest scoring playoff team, averaging 4.27 goals per game, but the Bruins have limited them to two goals in nearly 11 full periods.
The Bruins killed all six Pittsburgh power plays in Wednesday's game, dropping the Penguins to 0-for-12 in the series.
"It was hard-fought all over the ice, and we threw a lot at them," said Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma. "We threw a lot at them in regulation, we threw 50-plus shots, and we played exactly how we wanted to play, just couldn't find the second goal."
Rask has stopped 108 of 110 Penguins shots for a .981 save percentage.
SCHEDULE: Dates, results and TV
"He has been our most consistent player all year long, and he just proved that again," said Bruins forward Chris Kelly.
Rask stopped 10 shots by Evgeni Malkin, eight by defenseman Kris Letang and seven by James Neal. Chris Kunitz got the only shot past him, tying the game 1-1 at 8:51 of the second period. David Krejci had given Boston a 1-0 lead 1:42 into the game.
The game-winning play started with 41-year-old Jaromir Jagr winning a puck battle against Malkin.
"He's a pretty strong individual," Rask said.
Bergeron said Jagr's play was indeed the fire-starter
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