PITTSBURGH — If this was a glimpse of what the goaltending situation will be like in Boston after veterans Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak move on, the Bruins will be in fine shape.
Dan Vladar made 34 saves for his first win in his first NHL start, and Boston outlasted the Penguins, 2-1, Tuesday night, as Rask missed his fifth straight game with an undisclosed injury.
Vladar made his debut in last summer’s Stanley Cup playoffs when he relieved Halak during Game 3 of the second round against Tampa Bay. He settled in early with a diving stick save on Colton Sceviour and was nearly perfect the rest of the way.
“I’m just the happiest kid in the world right now,” Vladar said. “It was always my dream to play in the NHL, I got the opportunity and I won. There hasn’t been a better day for me hockey-wise.”
Vladar and Jeremy Swayman are considered Boston’s best prospects in net, and the win from the former couldn’t have come at a better time.
Trent Frederic scored the lone goal of the third period, beating Pittsburgh goaltender Casey DeSmith with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle through traffic.
David Pastrnak scored his 13th on the power play for the Bruins, who had lost nine of their previous 13 games. It was the Bruins’ second win in their last seven road games following a 5-0-1 stretch away from home.
“There’s no do-or-die games in the middle of the regular season,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “There’s games where you have to be a little more dialed in and focused. This was one of those games.”
Frederic’s winner was the Bruins’ third even-strength goal in their last six games. The Bruins have scored 33 goals in their last 14 games.
“People have to pitch in,” Cassidy said. “We need it. It has been discussed.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.