NHL Playoff Predictions 2012: Goaltending Will Lead Bruins Past Capitals

Last year, Tim Thomas was the reason the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. On Thursday night, he was the reason Boston's chase for a second consecutive Cup got off to the right start.

Thomas posted a shutout in Thursday's series-opening 1-0 win against Washington. After a spectacular save on a Marcus Johansson shot, Boston's Chris Kelly tallied the winning goal with a slap shot at 1:18 in overtime.

Unlike last year's opening series, the Bruins won't be forced to win on the road with their backs against the wall, but they might have to rely on Thomas' goaltending to carry them. It's a role Thomas became very familiar with last year, and it's one he's spent the regular season preparing for again.

Thomas is the Bruins' wild card, the factor that puts them ahead of the rest of the pack. Their offense is good but not spectacular and their defense is solid, but their goaltending is among the best in the NHL and it will once again give them as good a shot as anyone of winning this postseason.

His veteran presence will be particularly crucial in this series, given that the Bruins are going up against rookie Braden Holtby due to injuries to Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth. The Boston backstop will have to hold strong against the Capitals while his offense goes to work on the Washington rookie, who played in only seven games this season. 

This year, in 29 regular-season games, Thomas had a 2.36 GAA and a .920 save percentage. On Thursday, Thomas made 17 saves, the most important of which was doubtlessly the final one, which seemed to spark his offense. Thomas kicked out Johansson's shot and Joe Corvo took control of the puck, sending it off the boards, where it was picked up by Brian Rolston. He chipped the puck to Benoit Pouliot, who hit a streaking Kelly.

That was the game.

Afterward, Thomas told The Boston Globe's Fluto Shinzawa: 

"

I was like, "Man, last year, a couple different times in overtime when I made the big save, we went right down in scored." 

"

On Thursday, it was like deja vu.

During last year's postseason, Boston walked away with five overtime victories—three of which came in the opening series against Montreal. Thomas, who started all 25 games, registered a 1.98 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage, improving upon a regular-season 2.00 GAA and .938 save percentage.

If Thursday night's win was any indication, there's no reason to believe he won't be able to do it all over again.