"For Sturm, the decision to roll with the hot hand in Khusnutdinov was a no-brainer. Once a fourth-line skater who cycled in and out of the lineup, the shifty forward has displayed a knack for rising to the occasion when called upon by his bench boss. And with the puck on his stick Tuesday, Khusnutdinov delivered - snapping a wrist shot by Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin in what stood as the lone goal of the game-deciding shootout."
"'I'm feeling great. He trusts me and I scored, team wins,' Khusnutdinov said. 'Every time we win the game, it is fun for the team.' Khusnutdinov has left his fingerprints all over Boston's recent stretch of strong play that includes four straight wins and victories in five of the team's last six games. In just his last three games, Khusnutdinov - skating in a top-line role in place of an injured Elias Lindholm - has recorded an overtime tally against the Sabres, a third-period equalizer against the Islanders, and that eventual shootout winner just a few minutes later at UBS Arena."
Marat Khusnutdinov was surprised when coach Marco Sturm selected him for the shootout against the Islanders but converted the decisive attempt. The 23-year-old snapped a wrist shot past Ilya Sorokin to win the game in the shootout. Khusnutdinov moved from a fourth-line depth role into a top-line spot while Elias Lindholm is injured. In his last three games he recorded an overtime goal against Buffalo, a third-period equalizer against the Islanders, and the shootout winner. Khusnutdinov's recent scoring streak has contributed to Boston's run of wins, and Sturm cited his resilience and earned trust.
Read at Boston.com
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