And in 10 Seconds… Bruins and Lightning Tied for First

If the Lightning and the Bruins meet again this year it will have to be in the playoffs because tonight was the final meeting in regular season. The Bruins came in just one point behind the Lightning in the Atlantic Division with 81 points. 

Two of the three stars tonight Brad Marchand (63) and Ben Bishop (30)                               (photo Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports)

It was a pretty uneventful first period scoring wise, a lot of pushing, shoving, hitting and elbowing. Nikita Kucherov took an elbow to the head at center ice, no call. I think the player safety committee will be reviewing that play by Boston’s #26 John- Michael Liles, I’m sure if it were Looney Tunes, Kucherov would have seen stars!

The puck dropped in the second period, and the rough stuff continued. Tampa went on a power play and that power play was very ineffective. I would have to say that it’s very obvious that both of these teams are playing the second night of a back-to-back. The Lightning was in Philadelphia and the Bruins in South Florida. Both teams were just not skating fast and looked winded their passes were not crisp.

At 12:56 in the second period the Bolts got their third power play chance, compliments of #54 Adam McQuaid and once again the Lightning failed to capitalize. Wow, is all I could say, some great goal-tending on both ends of the ice! The end of two periods the score was 0-0 and the shot count, Lightning 27, Bruins 22. The penalties were 4 to 1 in favor of Boston. Just to keep the entertainment going let me include that the hit count… Bruins 24, Lightning 10.

The third period began with a 0-0 score.

The Lightning had a total of 37 shots on goal at 9:31 in the third, and there was great heads up play by Boston’s netminder #50 Jonas Gustavsson. #88 David Pastrnak received a two minute minor penalty for delay of game. The Lightning again were unable to capitalize on the power play, but not for lack of trying. I think they had a total of 5 shots on goal during that man advantage. Boston almost scored a shorty, but the fast back-checking of Kucherov robbed them. At 3:58 in the third, it looked like we would be going to overtime at 0-0.

It was going to be a three pointer. Gustavsson is probably having a career night, but you couldn’t discount Bishop, he has made some tremendous saves. Regulation time ended, and both teams received a participation point. The game would more than likely be decided playing 3 on 3 hockey. Opening up the overtime period with some TNT.

Then the quick deflate for the fans at the “Oil Can,” just 10 seconds into overtime,#63 Brad Marchand scores for Boston.

THREE STARS
1 J. Gustavsson (Bruins – G): Saves: 42, Save Pct.: 1.000
2 B. Bishop (Lightning – G): Saves: 32, Save Pct.: .970
3 B. Marchand (Bruins – LW): Goals: 1, Assists: 0