Tuukka Rask, Seth Griffith Make NHL's Top 10 Plays Of The Year
BOSTON (CBS) -- The season may have ended in disappointment for the Boston Bruins, but that doesn't mean the team didn't make its fair share of highlights along the way.
The NHL Network released its 2014-15 Top 10 Goals and Top 10 Saves lists this week, and a member of the Bruins made each.
It's no shock that Tuukka Rask made the cut for best saves of the year, but the Bruins' representative for goal of the year is a bit more surprising. It was a goal from Seth Griffith -- who played just 30 games for the Black and Gold this year -- that made the list at No. 9.
Griffith scored this goal on Nov. 10, at home against the Devils. He blocked a New Jersey shot and then chased down the deflection. He faced a 1-on-2 but muscled his way through defensemen Bryce Salvador and Marek Zidlicky. The puck ended up bouncing between his legs, and as he spun around, Griffith fired a backhand shot between his legs. The puck beat Cory Schneider and proved to be the game-winning goal, breaking a 2-2 tie.
It's funny, because as spectacular as that goal was, it might not even have been Griffith's best. That one may be the goal he scored against Minnesota, when he did his Bobby Orr impression while scoring on Oct. 28.
OK, maybe the Devils goal was more impressive. Still, not bad for a kid in his first month playing in the NHL.
Rask made the Top 10 Saves list, coming in at No. 6, for his diving stick save against the New York Islanders in late January.
Brian Strait sent a wide shot from the point off the end boards, and Nikolay Kulemin tapped it through the crease to Michael Grabner. The forward thought he had an open net in front of him as he quickly backhanded the puck toward goal, but Rask made a diving effort to get his paddle in the way and make a sprawling save. The Islanders' home crowd was stunned to learn that the puck somehow did not cross the goal line.
It was an incredible effort, but just like with Griffith's goal, you could argue that it wasn't Rask's best save of the season. You could argue that it wasn't Rask's best stick save of the season. I mean, look at this sorcery:
Wizard. The man's a wizard.
In any case, you can watch the Top 10 Goals here:
Most of those are flat-out ridiculous.
And you can watch the Top 10 Saves here:
You'd probably prefer to be watching a Bruins playoff game, but, well, in a sea of negativity surrounding the team, it's not so bad to see at least a few seconds of happier times. Right?
Read more from Michael Hurley by clicking here. You can email him or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
