INSIDE HOCKEY

After last week’s 4-2 loss to Montreal, cameras and reporters horded around the locker of Boston Bruins rookie goaltender Tuukka Rask. As Rask fielded questions in half pads, Alex Auld was almost on his way out of the locker room. The only question directed his way was from a reporter who was on his away around the crowd of microphones directed at Rask. “They couldn’t find you a pair of black pants?” he asked referring to Auld’s brick red equipment laid out on the carpet floor. “Nope” he simply replied.

The game itself was rough for the Bruins. Crawling back from a 3-0 deficit in the first period, the Bruins hopes of a comeback were cut off by a Montreal goal midway through the third period to extend their lead to 4-2. The goals could be accredited in part to defensive breakdowns as well as the load of the starter's role being pushed down on the back of Tuukka Rask. For the most part, Rask was left out to dry but his inexperience may have been seen on the second Montreal goal where he was screened by B’s defenseman Dennis Wideman and half committed to a butterfly, the puck making its way through his legs while still standing upright.

“We weren’t ready enough to play this game” Rask said on the loss. Being the Bruins third game in four nights, they may have been left fatigued for their first game back from a road trip. And when asked if the game was hard for him because it was his first time playing at home as well as the looming injury situation with starter Tim Thomas, Rask paused and looked into empty space across the room. “No, it’s a game like any other game,” he said.

All of this happened while Alex Auld was merely a jersey in the background. Brought in to backup Tuukka that night, Auld was given his chance to prove himself in a Bruin’s uniform while giving Rask a break. The 6’ 5" Auld made 25 saves as he stopped the Maples Leafs in their tracks by a score of 2-1.

Last night, Auld was once again given the nod to go up against Buffalo in a crucial league match. The performance that followed was nothing short of heroic as Auld put on a clinic stopping 44 shots en route to a 4-1 win over the Sabres. “It was a lot of work, said Auld. Buffalo’s got a lot of great players and they come hard and push the tempo.”

With the win, the Bruins were propelled into a four-way tie for second place in the Eastern Conference. This feat could not have been accomplished without clutch goaltending, though the stellar play wasn’t done by big name acquisition Manny Fernandez, cult hero Tim Thomas, or even superstar of tomorrow Tuukka Rask. It was on the back of a goaltender who had been pushed aside on every team before the Bruins. With his pads still Phoenix maroon, the tallest goaltender to ever play for the Bruins has earned himself a spot in the lineup for the time being. Until Thomas returns, Auld looks to continue to earn respect in Boston, and keep them a team that’s quickly on the rise.