Photo: Greg M. Cooper
Last night, Evgeny Kuznetsov had two more highlight-reel plays in a season full of highlight-reel plays. In the first period, after playing keep-away along the dasher boards, Kuznetsov found Andre Burakovsky with a jaw-dropping cross-ice pass and the Burracuda’s fourth goal of the season. That pass eluded four sticks, including teammate Justin Williams. One period later, Kuznetsov was back at it on the power play. Kuznetsov, taking the open ice offered by sagging Bruins penalty killers, released a snapshot on a helpless Tuukka Rask.
Those were great, but he saved his best act for the third period. In one shift, Kuznetsov turned a NHL hockey game into a beer-league exhibition.
Watch as Kuznetsov forces a turnover in the Bruins’ zone, juggles the puck, knocks it high into the air to himself, dangles around multiple Bruins players, plays keep-away, and makes a pass to Burakovsky through Kevan Miller’s skates.
This is ridiculous.
As usual, Kuznetsov declined to talk about his individual play, no matter how spectacular it was, after the game.
“I think all team have bigger points, right?” Kuznetsov said when a Boston reporter was silly enough to try to ascertain how Kuzy has gotten so good. “I don’t give a… care about my game. I almost say bad words right now.”
Additional reporting by Chris Gordon.
