Final, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins are able to hold on in the final two minutes, and they send the TD Garden crowd home happy with the 3-2 matinee win.
Third period, 17:44, Bruins 3-2: Brad Marchand continues to score big goals, and he does it again here in the third period on the power play.
Marchand was knocked down in the Boston end and that abruptly ended the Boston possession. Marchand was slow to get up, which ended up being a blessing in disguise. Steven Stamkos fired wide in the Boston end, and the puck moved up the ice to Patrice Bergeron who was able to walk in on a 2-on-1 with Marchand, and the forward roofed one over Mathieu Garon.
Third period, 14:21, 2-2: The Bruins killed off the penalty with no problems, and they end up getting a power play themselves.
It’s a four-minute power play, too, as Brendan Mikkelson was sent to the box for high-sticking Milan Lucic. The B’s forward went barreling into Mathieu Garon on the play, and the referee pointed straight to the box. The obvious assumption was that Lucic was being sent off, but that was obviously not the case.
Third period, 10:46, 2-2: The Lightning just brought some big-time pressure, and while they weren’t able to score the go-ahead goal, they did earn themselves a power play.
A mad scramble in front and behind the net lead to a holding the stick call on Dougie Hamilton that will put the Bruins’ penalty kill back to work. They were much better in the second period down a man, and they’ll need to be just as good here to keep this game tied.
Third period, 7:06, 2-2: It’s amazing how much better the pace to the game is when there aren’t a ton of penalties called. The Bruins and Lightning are starting to open things up a little bit more, and that just produced a pretty enjoyable few minutes to open the third period.
The Bruins have gotten the better of the chances in the third period thus far. Patrice Bergeron was stopped cold in the slot by Mathieu Garon a little earlier, and then Tyler Seguin just used a good individual effort to get a scoring chance of his own, but he put the slap shot from the top of the slot right into Garon’s stomach.
Third period, 0:10, 2-2: Hey, the game is back on. The third period begins here at the Garden.
Second period reaction: It still wasn’t the prettiest period of hockey the Bruins have played, but the second period was much better for the B’s in comparison to the first at least.
It has to be encouraging to see the power play get on the board, and it’s even more encouraging that it was Tyler Seguin who was able to pot the goal. The Bruins, despite their successes so far this season, haven’t yet gotten a lot of Seguin at least in terms of goal scoring. If he can get going, that would obviously be a huge shot in the arm.
Rich Peverley also scored, and he did so with a blast from the left dot as he was falling to the ice. He’s been working on his shot lately, and it paid off there. Again, the Bruins haven’t gotten much scoring out of that third line, so maybe that goal gets them going as well. It will also be interesting to see what Claude Julien does moving forward with that line in terms of Daniel Paille. The forward moved up a line to skate with the third line for this one, and he picked up an assist on that Peverley goal.
The Bruins’ penalty kill has been tested mightily in this one, and after giving up power-play goals on the first two Tampa Bay power plays of the game, they have bounced back to kill off four in a row. That includes a huge four-minute penalty kill in the final minutes of the second period, the type of power play that maybe gives them an added boost coming out of the room to open the third period.
End of second period, 2-2: The Garden crowd sends the Bruins to the dressing room with a hearty round of applause, and it’s well-deserved. The Bruins did a fine job of killing Andrew Ference’s double-minor penalty, and it allows them to go into the third period tied 2-2.
Second period, 15:49, 2-2: Andrew Ference just got a little careless with his stick in the neutral zone, and it’s going to cost the Bruins pretty dearly.
Ference was just called for a high-sticking penalty, one of the four-minute variety, which means the B’s have their work cut out for them in the final minutes of the period.
Second period, 13:04, 2-2: Anton Khudobin looked a little shaky to open the second period, but he has certainly settled down some here later in the period.
He just made three pretty big saves to help the Bruins kill off the power play, including a save on Martin St. Louis right in front .
Khudobin got a little lucky, too, just after the power play ended. Cory Conacher hit the post with a shot from the right slot that ensures the game remains tied 2-2.
Second period, 9:28, 2-2: The penalty of the day is boarding, and this time it’s Jay Pandolfo who is the culprit.
The Bruins failed to score on their power play, and now they have to try and kill off what is the fifth power play of the afternoon for the Lightning.
Second period, 6:29, 2-2: The parade to the penalty box continues, and this time it’s Tampa Bay going back to the box.
Vincent Lecavalier gets called for boarding as he unloads on Johnny Boychuk in the corner, and Boston will look to get on a power-play streak here in the second.
Second period, 4:44, 2-2: Claude Julien’s line changes have paid off in a big way, at least they have here in the second period.
Rich Peverley breaks through with his third goal of the season capping off a strong shift from the third line, which has Daniel Paille skating on it in place of Chris Bourque. Paille gets one of the assists on the Peverley goal that the B’s forward slammed home from the left faceoff circle as he was falling down.
On the ensuing faceoff, Gregory Campbell and B.J. Crombeen decided to do a little dancing, dropping the gloves in the second fight of the game. Give the slight advantage to the bigger Crombeen who got a couple of big right hands in late in the bout.
Second period, 3:22, Lightning 2-1: Finally, the Bruins have their first home power-play goal of the season on their 28th try.
Tyler Seguin does the honors as he rips a wrist shot by Mathieu Garon that just got by the goalie’s right shoulder and inside the post. That shot was sniped to say the very least.
It’s Seguin’s fourth goal of the season.
Second period, 3;04, Lightning 2-0: The Bruins are able to kill off the penalty to open the second period, and they’re going to get a power play of their own as well.
Eric Brewer got an interference penalty, and Boston looks for its first power-play goal at home this season.
Second period, 0:01, Lightning 2-0: The second period is under way.
First period reaction: Well, that’s not how you want to start a matinee tilt.
The Bruins were victimized by a very good Tampa Bay power play in the first period, and now they’ve got their work cut out for them in attempting to dig out of this early hole. Boston didn’t get much help from the officials, with the boarding calls to Dennis Seidenberg and Milan Lucic being a little bit questionable at the least. However, the Bruins came into this game with the league’s top-ranked penalty kill, and they need it to be top-notch against an offense like Tampa Bay’s.
The Bruins, despite only having five shots through the first, have had a couple of chances. On two occasions there was a loose puck in the crease that would have led to an easy goal if a Bruins player could get to it, but they came up just short each time. They’re going to need to stay out of the penalty box, though, they’re going to get that offense clicking, especially if players like Lucic are the ones in the box.
However, the Bruins are going to have to kill off (on fresh ice) 1:52 of Lucic’s boarding penalty to open the second period.
End first period, Lightning 2-0: The Bruins will have to kill off another penalty — 1:52 of it — to begin the second period.
Milan Lucic gets his second penalty of the afternoon, this one for boarding as he planted Victor Hedman into the boards in the Boston end. In my eyes, it was a pretty questionable call, as Hedman didn’t appear to be too far away from the boards, and he was turning back toward play as Lucic unloaded on him.
First period, 16:31, Lightning 2-0: While the Bruins couldn’t score on the power play (extending the home PP drought), the first unit looked very good.
The Bruins generated a couple of scoring chances and controlled the puck for much of the first minute and a half of the power play. Of course, that doesn’t mean a whole lot, especially when you’re down 2-0 in the first period.
First period, 13:12, Lightning 2-0: Keith Aulie is getting pretty familiar with the visitors’ penalty box.
Just seconds after the Bruins killed off the Dennis Seidenberg penalty, Aulie was called for interference.
First period, 10:45, Lightning 2-0: The Bruins are going to attempt to kill another penalty after Dennis Seidenberg gets called for boarding after drilling Benoit Pouliot into the corner boards.
First period, 9:03, Lightning 2-0: Adam McQuaid just tried to get his club going after a lackluster start, and the defenseman did it with his fists.
McQuaid was tangled up with Keith Aulie following a whistle, and that’s when Pierre-Cedric Labrie decided he wanted in on the fun. He dropped the gloves with McQuaid and the two battled a long and spirited bout.
Maybe that will jump-start a Bruins team that is struggling right now.
First period, 8:49, Lightning 2-0: The Lightning power play strikes again, and this time it’s Alexander Killorn getting the tally.
Teddie Purcell did a great job of carrying the puck into the Bruins’ zone, including a nifty deke around Chris Kelly at the blue line. He then dished it off to Killorn, and the forward beat Anton Khudobin.
First period, 7:46, Lightning 1-0: The Tampa Bay power play will go back to work here in the first period, after Andrew Ference trips up former Bruins forward Benoit Pouliot.
Pouliot went crashing into the end boards with a nasty spill, but he appears to be OK.
Things have already started to get a little chippy. Players from both teams got a little testy after a whistle a few minutes ago that lead to unsportsmanlike penalties for Keith Aulie and Gregory Campbell.
First period, 5:33, Lightning 1-0: Steven Stamkos is a brilliant goal scorer, and he’s even better on the power play. The Bruins were just reminded of that.
The Boston penalty kill gives up its second goal in as many games, as Stamkos bangs home a one-timer from the bottom of the left faceoff circle to give the Bolts the early lead.
Tampa Bay was on the power play thanks to a Milan Lucic interference penalty.
First period, 0:25, 0-0: The game is under way, with some strong pressure from the B’s in the game’s early moments.
1:05 p.m.: The Bruins will start with third line in this one, and it’s a restructured third line. Daniel Paille moves up to the third line in place of Chris Bourque. Interesting.
12:55 p.m.: Interesting roster change for the Bruins in this one, as Jay Pandolfo will be in the Boston lineup. He’ll be taking the place of Shawn Thornton who is listed as a healthy scratch.
12:50 p.m.: The Bruins might be dealing with a pretty desperate Lightning team this afternoon. Tampa Bay comes in having lost its last three games, including a 4-1 loss in New York on Thursday in which the Bolts were thoroughly dominated. They’re in the midst of a pretty gnarly stretch too. Thursday’s game started a four-game road trip that will has the Lightning squaring off with the Rangers, Bruins, Penguins and Devils.
12:30 p.m.: This is obviously the beginning of a pretty important (and busy) weekend for the Bruins.
It also promises to be quite the treat for B’s fans. The Lightning still have one of the most talented, big-name groups of forwards in the league. That’s headlined by Steven Stamkos, who comes into today’s game on a hot streak to say the least. The forward has an eight-game point streak going, with seven goals and seven assists over that stretch. He has 31 points on the season, which is more than the Bruins’ top two point-getters (Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci) have combined. Stamkos’ efforts have been impressive, as well as the work of Martin St. Louis. The UVM product has 25 points already thanks to 20 assists.
Of course, Sunday’s matchup needs no building up, either, with the Montreal Canadiens coming to town for the first time this season.
12;03 p.m.: Bruins coach Claude Julien just revealed that it will be indeed Anton Khudobin in goal for the B’s in this one. It marks his first start since Feb. 15 where he took the loss against the Buffalo Sabres.
It’s expected that Mathieu Garon will make the start for the Lightning. Anders Lindback started against the B’s last week at Tampa.
11:59 a.m.: As expected, there was no blizzard, and this game will go on as planned. So there’s that.
Just arrived at the Garden where Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69” is playing over the speakers with fans just starting to trickle in.
8 a.m. ET: Thankfully there’s no blizzard in the forecast for Boston on Saturday afternoon, which means this visit from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Garden should go off without a hitch.
The Bolts are back in Boston for a Saturday matinee with the Bruins, four weeks after a nasty blizzard forced a previously scheduled Saturday matinee to be postponed (that game is rescheduled for April 25).
It’s the continuation of a busy week for the Bruins who returned home Thursday to get a overtime win over the Ottawa Senators. Now they’re set to take on Tampa Bay with an early start on Saturday before turning around and hosting Montreal on Sunday night.
The Bruins and Lightning met just a little more than a week ago down in Tampa Bay where the B’s beat the Lightning 4-2, thanks in large part to a pair of goals in the first 3:50 of the game.
The B’s will be looking for another quick start in this one as well, as matinee games have given them some fits in the past few years. Getting out to that fast start is important as ever, especially given the fact that they’re facing a high-powered Tampa Bay offense that can put teams in a big hole in the early going.
We may be seeing Anton Khudobin making his fourth appearance of the season. He hasn’t played since Feb. 15, with Tuukka Rask making the last five starts. If it is Khudobin between the pipes, he’ll be looking to rebound from a rough start against Buffalo in which he gave up four goals in the team’s only loss on the recent five-game winning streak.
Puck drop from the Garden is set for 1 p.m.
