The Bruins have been lucky to have skated with some of the greatest goaltenders of all time. From Frank Brimsek in the 1940s to Tuukka Rask in the 2010s, Boston has had its fair share of reliable goaltenders throughout the course of its 100-year history.
For better or worse, the nearly 100 goaltenders who have ever worn the Spoked-B stand out for their individual efforts to keeping opponents off the scoresheet. As one might expect, a century-long history of Bruins hockey has produced some remarkable saves between the pipes that have left jaws dropped on both benches.
Looking through a more modern lens, specifically starting with Boston’s 2010-11 season, here are the three biggest saves that (so far) have passed the test of time over the course of the last 14 years:
3. Tim Thomas (May 23, 2011 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning)
Tim Thomas, the last Bruins goalkeeper to play during a championship run (in 2011), was in peak form at the perfect time.
In Game 5 of Boston’s Eastern Conference Finals against Tampa Bay, Thomas and the Bruins had some catching up to do. The team was coming off a Game 4 loss to the Lightning, in which Thomas allowed four unanswered goals, but none of it shook the two-time Vezina Trophy winner.
While Boston led 2-1 in the third period, Tampa Bay’s Steve Downie almost tied the game, taking advantage of a near-perfect scoring opportunity on Thomas’ stick side. However, Thomas used a cat-like reaction to prevent the hits the puck with his stick and squanders a wonderful opportunity, allowing the Bruins to win 4-3.
Thomas stopped the Lightning scoreless in Game 7, and the Bruins went on to upset the Vancouver Canucks and win their sixth Stanley Cup championship.
2. Michael Ryder (April 23, 2011 versus the Montreal Canadiens)
Michael Ryder, who spent only three seasons with the Bruins, was another reliable and productive part of Boston’s championship team. Ryder had 17 points in 2011, following an 18-goal, 23-assist effort in his third and last season with the organization.
The then-30-year-old veteran kept his best moment in a Bruins uniform for when Boston and Montreal met in the quarterfinals.
In Game 5 of the series, Ryder put everything on the line in the first few minutes. As Thomas attempted to keep the Canadiens from scoring, the net was left unprotected, despite Montreal having two players on the right side. Ryder, on the other hand, was right there waiting and produced an unbelievable glove save that no one could imitate. That proved to be even more important than the thrilling highlight when Nathan Horton took the game into double OT, giving Boston a 3-2 series lead — mostly because to Ryder.
1. Tim Thomas (December 4, 2010, vs. Toronto Maple Leafs).
Thomas recorded 10,533 career saves with Boston, but none matched the one he made in overtime against Toronto in 2010.
After ex-Bruins defenseman Dennis Seidenberg made a mistake just a few feet away from Thomas, who was guarding Boston’s net, Francois Beauchemin of the Maple Leafs was handed a wide-open path to victory. However, in nothing short of heroic fashion, Thomas performed his best Bobby Orr impersonation and Superman-dove across the net with only a few seconds to respond.
At first sight, it appeared to be a sure-fire game-winning goal for Toronto, as Colby Armstrong’s early celebration would suggest, but that was not the case. Despite the Maple the Leafs won 3-2, Thomas stunned the Toronto crowd, and the Bruins went on to win the Stanley Cup.
