Rick Nash has arrived, and other things we learned from Lightning, Bruins Game 1

The Boston Bruins offense continued to roll in Tampa Bay on Saturday afternoon. Here are a few things we learned from Game 1 of this Eastern Conference semifinal.

Game 1 between the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning is in the books, and there were several takeaways from this tilt that should continue to perpetuate the narrative of this series.

While this one was a blowout, no one should expect a one-sided thumping. We could very well be looking at a tight series that goes down to the wire. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though — here’s a few observations from the first game.

3 Takeaways from Game 1

1. Rick Nash has arrived

The Boston Bruins have ridden the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line all the way to the second round of the NHL playoffs. They combined for nine goals and 21 assists in their four wins against the Leafs, and zero goals, zero assists in losses. Simply put, as this line goes, so goes the Bruins. It’s very difficult to ride one line through four rounds of the playoffs without them wearing down. If Boston is to continue their march to the Cup, they desperately need key veterans to step up and change their dynamic.

Enter Rick Nash. After managing just 2 points in a full 7-game series against Toronto, he made a statement tonight. In less than 13 minutes of ice time, he potted a pair of goals and looked much more effective than any point in the first round. This performance will appease ornery Bruins fans who were left wondering exactly what their team paid for at the trade deadline. If Nash can continue being as effective in limited minutes while the top line does their thing, Tampa is going to have a difficult time holding them off the board.

2. Tampa Bay keeps its cool

Special teams is going to play an enormous role in the outcome of this series. Tampa Bay’s penalty kill was one of the worst in hockey this year. Facing them down is Boston’s ridiculous power play that tore Toronto apart. Staying disciplined is going to be paramount to any success the Lightning will have in this series. Tampa took exactly one penalty in this game and it was made on a very questionable tripping call. In the end, Boston was firing on all cylinders anyway but if they stay disciplined, this series will be close. Brad Marchand made a few attempts to draw calls and irritate his opponents, but the Lightning players have obviously made it a point to not get sucked in to these scrums. Look for Tampa’s coaching staff to continue reiterating a disciplined approach throughout the series — it may be their only chance of survival.

3. Rask looks much more mature than we’ve ever seen him

Tuukka Rask’s first round numbers were by far the worst of any starter who advanced to the semi-finals. With a history of losing his cool, I wondered where his head was at after a lackluster first round. He started the game in brand new pads, and it was hard to not wonder if he was overthinking. After losing his mind when a skate blade cost him, he settled down after the break and didn’t give up another. This older version of Rask still has propensities towards emotion, but he’s not letting it throw him off his game. Not good news for Tampa Bay.

Next: Each NHL Team's Biggest 'What if' Moment

If they can’t get Rask off his game, they’re going to have trouble getting anyone else off theirs.

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