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Bruins 5, Lightning 2: Boston Comes From Behind To Win Third in a Row

By Cup of Chowder Staff
March 27, 2011; Boston, MA, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) checks Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-US PRESSWIRE
March 27, 2011; Boston, MA, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos (91) checks Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-US PRESSWIRE

Last May, Tampa Bay's season ended at TD Garden when Nathan Horton's goal stood as the lone marker in a 1-0 Boston victory in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals.

This March, the stakes weren't as high, but Tampa's postseason hopes were extinguished on TD Garden ice again.

Benoit Pouliot scored the game-winning goal and Bruins captain Zdeno Chara had three assists on a night in which he was honored for playing in his 1,000th career NHL game on Saturday against Los Angeles.

In a game that Boston dominated from beginning to end, Steven Stamkos had the only goals for Tampa Bay, notching his 54th and 55th goals of the season.

Otherwise, Tim Thomas - who allowed two goals on five shots against Tampa just two weeks earlier - was spotless, stopping 13 of the 15 shots that he saw. including a spectacular denial of a would-be hat trick for Stamkos that rung the cross bar before falling just short of the goal line.

The win marks the first time that the Bruins - who won 21 of 25 games in November and December - have won three consecutive games since that hot streak ended.

Shawn Thornton, Dennis Seidenberg and Brad Marchand also scored for Boston, and Rich Peverley wrapped things up with an empty net goal at 19:53 of the final stanza.