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A tied-at-zero first period was SUPPOSED to yield a more balanced contest.
NOT THIS JUNK.
First Period
Highlight of the game. Scroll on if you must.
Patrice Bergeron made a kneeling/spinning/saintly save to keep the game tied at nada.
Danton Heinen took a penalty, so the B’s went to the kill for the middle of the frame.
Brad Marchand and Ryan McDonagh collided near the blue line, sending both off the ice for a bit of a breather. Fortunately, both were uninjured. (McDonagh, however, collided with another Bruins player by accident in the third, which looked like it stung the defenseman).
Second Period
A late penalty to Pastrnak in the first extended into the second; fortunately, Tampa Bay wasn’t able to set up well on the power play, while Tuukka made several big saves to keep it tied at zero.
Brian Gionta showed some hand-eye coordination for a senior citizen, though this high-stick play was waved off, keeping the B’s of the board.
A few minutes later, Brayden Point scored on a weak, low-board-bad-angle shot. The knucklepuck always goes in. 1-0, Tampa.
Victor Hedman blasted home a slapshot for the Lightnings’ second of the period at the halfway mark.
Chris Kunitz swatted in a rebound to put the Bolts up, 3-0, another 4-5 minutes later. The Lightning have, by this point, held the possession advantage since the five-minute mark... of the FIRST period. The Bruins wouldn’t take the possession lead until Tampa became complacent with dump-ins and closing out the game.
The B’s were able to stifle the pace of the game for the rest of the second, and got a power play in the final minute to boot. No such luck, though.
Third Period
Yep, still no luck on the power play.
J.T. Miller scored just 94 seconds into the period, butting the Bolts up 4-0.
The Bruins couldn’t muster a comeback, so that’s how it would end.
A loss is no fun, but we have to remember, it’s a new season after game 82 has been played; and, the B’s are still able to win the East, as long as they win out, but it’s not the ultimate goal.
Next game is Thursday at 7:30PM against the Panthers in Sunrise, Florida.
See you there!
(Virtually.)