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Bruins' Marcus Johansson was the unsung hero of Game 1
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- Bruins' Marcus Johansson was the unsung hero of Game 1
How does a player record zero points and register only one shot on net, but still receive the second star of the game?
They do exactly what Marcus Johansson did in Game 1.
We've talked endlessly about the depth of the Boston Bruins leading up to the Stanley Cup Final, and they sure lived up to the hype. Sean Kuraly took first star and most of the earned glory by scoring the Bruins' game winning goal, and setting up another.
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But let's talk for a second about how absolutely electric Marcus Johansson was every single shift.
He kicked it off in the first period by going through every Blues player on the ice only to be cruelly denied by the crossbar.
Then Johansson showed his token third-line grind impact by sacrificing the body without hesitation on one of the Blues' few shots.
St. Louis only went on to record 20 shots on Tuukka Rask throughout Game 1, a combination of timely shot-blocking and lack of penetration in the offensive zone.
Then there's his bold, nifty moves like this one on Gunnarsson which creates space wide to nearly set up Heinen for a goal. Johansson is playing with a new level of confidence and an edge that is peaking at simply the right time.
Johansson has posted three goals, six assists, and a +3 rating in the postseason thus far. Yes, he's not piling on the points, but his impact is more than what's seen on the scoresheet. It's going to be very difficult for the Blues to shut down Boston's third and fourth lines when they consistently pump out offence even when its top line is not.
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In contrast, the Blues' points in Game 1 came from who you'd expect, and need, to show up big games. Vladimir Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn , two top-line guys, put up St. Louis's primary points, meaning if Boston can direct focus on shutting them down next game, they could dry up quick.
For Johansson, there is a benefit to showing so well on hockey's big stage. Should he keep his breakthrough playoff hockey up, surely he will cash in when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Marcus Johansson was dynamite for the Bruins in Game 1. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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