Hockey is finally back. It’s still some weeks until the real puck-drop and the start of the NHL season, but now, teams have finally started to play games again, with the NHL pre-season underway.
During the pre-season games, it’s rare that every star player is available because of the injury risks. Instead, we often see guys fighting for a place in the roster and young prospects, but it’s often entertaining as players dare to do stuff they normally wouldn’t do when the real season starts.
One player who really made a case for himself during the first game of the pre-season was Boston Bruins goalie Brandon Bussi. He still hasn’t played a game in the NHL yet, but he played 32 games with the Providence Bruins last season. He got the start against the New York Rangers Sunday and absolutely stole the show with a mind-blowing save, robbing Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski of a certain goal.
When Brodzinski took a shot against an empty net, coming off a great play from the Rangers, he was sure it would be a goal. But from nowhere, Bussi went post-to-post and flashed his glove hand just enough to get a hold of the puck.
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The save had everyone in attendance, and every fan watching at home, as well as the players on the ice, shocked.
“Credit to their power play, they were snapping the puck around,” said Bussi per the NHL.com. “Sometimes you’ve just got to compete and get a little luck…so I’m pretty fortunate. I made that save, and a lot of credit to the team for the defense in front of me. It was a great effort tonight.”
The save quickly made the rounds on social media, but to be fair, Bussi played an overall amazing game. He shut out the Rangers in front of packed stands at the TD Garden.
“Just a wild experience overall,” said Bussi. “I don’t think I’ve ever played in front of a crowd that excited, that much energy. And it’s only pre-season. It’s a testament to how great our fans are. And it was just a super exciting experience to do it here for the first time.”
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery was impressed.
“It was unreal. Honest to God,” said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. “It was a great play by them, but the fact that he read it, I mean, that’s a double slot line play – they go in at 75% [rate] because it’s a yawning cage that someone’s looking at, and they put it three quarters of the way up the net. That wasn’t low glove…he went and snared it. That’s big-time athletic ability.”
