Bruins hang on to beat Lightning 5-4

The Bruins jumped out to a 5-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning early in the second period, before giving up 4 straight goals (and giving the Bruins Faithful a collective heart attack), as the Bruins hung on to beat the Lightning 5-4 at the St. Pete Times Forum on Thursday night. Michael Ryder and Milan each had two goal games, whiel Miroslav Satan also chipped in with a goal for the B's. At the other end of the ice, Martin St. Louis and Steve Downie both scored two goals for the home team.

The Bruins got the first goal of the game 4:24 into the first period when Marc Savard found Miroslav Satan going to the net with only a stick-less Victor Hedman left to the defend the space between Savard and Satan. The goal was Satan's third since joining the Bruins last month.

Milan Lucic got his 4th goal of the season and increased the Bruins' lead to 2-0 when Michael Ryder's shot caromed off Lucic's stick and then the stick of Lightning defenseman Matt Smaby before ending up in the back of the net at 11:21 of the opening period. Lucic's goal gave the Bruins a 2-0 first period lead for the 4th straight game.

Michael Ryder made it 3-0 when he finished off a nifty give and go with Blake Wheeler at 15:44 of the first period.

Ryder added his second goal of the game when he picked up a rebound off the end boards from Marc Savard's shot and roofed a shot over Antero Niittymaki with 2:41 left in the first period.

Lucic got his second goal of the game and made it 5-0 4:53 into the second period when he deflected Zdeno Chara's turn-around slapper from the slot past Mike Smith, who replaced Niittymaki at the start of the second period after giving 4 goals in the first 20 minutes.

Martin St. Louis got the Lightning on the board at 14:10 of the second period when he deposited a rebound from Victor Hedman's point shot into the net.

Martin St. Louis scored his second goal of the night on the power play with 58 seconds remaining in the middle period to make it 5-2.

The Lightning pulled to within two at 11:09 of the third period when Steve Downie set up at the top of the crease and tipped Victor Hedman's shot through the pads of Tuukka Rask.

Steve Downie made it 5-4 with 3:13 left in the third period. Martin St. Louis took the puck away from Derek Morris and in the Bruins' zone and fed a pass back to Victor Hedman at the point. Hedman fired a shot. Downie collected the rebound, put a shot on Rask, and finally put his own rebound in to pull his team within one.

Notes:

- The Bruins do not play well with a lead late in the game. If the Bruins could petition the NHL to play 20 minute games, they would be unstoppable.

- Miroslav Satan left the game after his hand was sliced open after being stepped on during an altercation with Steve Downie (I can't call rolling up in an ass ball a fight). Am I the only one who thought that Satan tried to kick Downie at the end of that fight?

- Satan's cowardly actions aside, Zdeno Chara came to the aid of his teammate later in the game and challenged Steve Downie, who did his best Miro Satan impression.

- The refs made some questionable calls tonight that helped the Lightning get back in this game with a power play goal.

- Martin St, Louis (2 goals, assist), Victor Hedman (3 assists), and Steven Stamkos (3 assists) all had 3-point nights for the Bolts.

- The Bruins outshot the Lightning 36-35

- NESN's Jack Edwards has been wearing the same shirt and tie for broadcasts since the Bruins snapped their 10 game losing streak.

- The Bruins will take on the Panthers on Saturday night before their Olympic hiatus.

"We can't keep playing Russian Roulette every night and keeping those games close"

- Claude Julien on playing with a lead and letting their opponent back in the game