Still, Boston comes through with a huge road win against the Lightning, opening their five-game road trip with a clean sweep of the Florida-based clubs.
With Montreal also losing 3-0 to Washington, the Bruins solidify their hold on first place in the Northeast Division as they move on to Atlanta for what promises to be an emotional and physical affair on Thursday.
Third Period, 19:40, Bruins 4-3: The Bruins convert on the power play, as Mark Recchi comes through in the clutch again with a goal with just 19.7 seconds left in regulation.
Recchi took a pass from Bergeron and ripped a wrister from the high slot just inside the left post.
Third Period, 18:10, 3-3: The Bruins get a power play after a questionable hit on Campbell into the boards by Stamkos leads to a major scrum.
Marchand and Bergenheim get involved in a wrestling match and draw matching roughing minors, but the Bruins go on the power play as Stamkos is sent off for boarding.
Third Period, 17:50, 3-3: Ference fans on a one-timer from the right side.
Third Period, 15:34, 3-3: The energy line nearly strikes again, as Marchand is stuffed on a wraparound attempt, while Campbell also tried to bang it home from the top of the crease.
Third Period, 14:00, 3-3: Thomas makes a stop and ties up the puck, but the action continues as Ryan Malone and Chara exchange shoves. No penalties out of that quick scrum.
Third Period, 10:50, 3-3: And just like that, St. Louis ties it up as he fires a shot home from the left side off a crossing pass.
Stamkos and Kubina pick up the assists as the Bruins can’t hold a one-goal lead for the third time in this one.
Third Period, 10:18, Bruins 3-2: St. Louis with another tip, this one just wide. The Bruins are definitely back on their heels too much this period.
Third Period, 7:43, Bruins 3-2: Thomas is under siege now, but continues to pile up the saves to protect the lead. The biggest in that sequence was on a deflection in front by Marty St. Louis.
Third Period, 5:53, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins come through with another huge penalty kill, with Wheeler actually having the best scoring chance shorthanded during the penalty.
Third Period, 3:53, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins give Tampa a chance to get that goal right back as Lucic is sent off for interference.
Third Period, 3:00, Bruins 3-2: Marchand does even better, as he gives the Bruins the lead again.
Campbell won the faceoff clean back to Thornton, who sends a wrist shot toward the net and Marchand collected the puck in front and banged home a backhander.
Third Period, 2:56, 2-2: Marchand showing no signs of rust in his first game back, as he makes a save and forces Ellis to make a quick save.
Third Period, 0:00, 2-2: The final frame is under way, though this might not be the final frame as overtime could be needed to settle this one with the way the Bruins and Lightning have traded goals thus far.
Second Intermission Notes: The Bruins are even with the Lightning through two periods, which is somewhat surprising because they certainly haven’t played at even strength as much as they had planned.
The teams have combined for 11 minor penalties, but Tampa’s vaunted power play is just 1 for 4, while the Bruins are 1 for 5.
Boston also did a much better job on faceoffs, going 15=8 in the second to pull withing 22-24 overall on the night. But the Bruins managed just four shots in the second to Tampa’s nine. Steve Kampfer did score on one of those though, collecting his first career goal in the NHL.
End Second Period, 2-2: Another 20 minutes are in the books, and we’re still no closer to settling this one as the Bruins and Lightning traded goals again in the second and remain tied.
Second Period, 17:06, 2-2: The Bruins kill off this penalty, possibly stalling Tampa’s momentum a bit after the Lightning tied the game.
Second Period, 15:06, 2-2: The Bruins give Tampa Bay another power-play chance, as Patrice Bergeron is sent off for hooking.
Second Period, 14:02, 2-2: The Lightning pull even again on a fabulous individual effort by Vincent Lecavalier.
He drove down the middle, fought off a check at the left circle and swooped around behind the net for a wraparound at the right post.
Second Period, 12:20, Bruins 2-1: Everyone is out of the penalty box, as the teams are back to five aside with the Bruins still leading by a goal.
Second Period, 10:20, Bruins 2-1: Marchand makes his presence felt in his return, as he draws a holding call on Teddy Purcell and the sides are even once again, albeit skating 4-on-4 for 1:44 before a brief Bruins power play.
Second Period, 10:04, Bruins 2-1: The whistle before Bergenheim’s hit was for a high-sticking penalty to Blake Wheeler, as the Lightning now go on the power play.
Second Period, 9:58, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins can’t get much going on that power play, but tempers flare a bit as Bergenheim hits Andrew Ference after the whistle.
Several Bruins go after Bergenheim, but nothing breaks out.
Second Period, 7:58, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins go back on the power play yet again, this time with Victor Hedman going off for holding.
Second Period, 6:45, Bruins 2-1: Thomas does it again, robbing Simon Gagne as the Lightning winger breaks in alone down the left side after a Lucic turnover at the Tampa blue line.
Second Period, 5:48, Bruins 2-1: Thomas with a pair of big saves in close to keep the lead the Bruins have just established.
Second Period, 3:28, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins can’t convert the power play, but they score just eight seconds later as Steve Kampfer scores his first NHL goal.
Marc Savard earned his 700th career point as he set up the rookie with a pass out from the right boards. Kampfer stopped the puck with his skate in the left circle, then fired it home.
Second Period, 1:20, 1-1: The Bruins will get another shot on the power play, as Tampa is called for too many men on the ice.
They will have to be wary if they don’t score though, as Stamkos is serving the penalty and will be a threat coming out of the box.
Second Period, 0:00, 1-1: And the second period is under way, with both teams looking for the go-ahead goal after an even first frame.
First Intermission Notes: This one is a little different than the last meeting between these clubs, which Boston won in convincing fashion 8-1.
The Bruins jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead here as well on a power-play goal by Michael Ryder, but the Lightning struck back quickly this time. Tampa tied it with a power-play goal of their own by Steven Stamkos.
There were six minor penalties in all in the first, which is not what the Bruins want to see as they can’t afford to get into a special-teams battle with Tampa’s potent power play. There was no lack of action of any kind in the first, as the teams combined for 22 shots (Tampa with a 12-10 edge) and 23 hits (Tampa again with a slight 12-11 advantage). the one area that wasn’t close to even was in the faceoff circle, where Boston was just 7-16 (30 percent). David Krejci (1-6) and Marc Savard (0-3) were the main culprits.
In his first game back, Brad Marchand played 4:36 in the first and picked up a roughing minor in an altercation with Sean Bergenheim, drawing a power play as Bergenheim was called for both roughing and cross-checking. Ryder converted that chance for Boston’s lone goal.
End First Period, 1-1: The Bruins and Lightning head into the first intermission tied at 1-1 after an entertaining opening 20 minutes of up-and-down action.
First Period, 18:00, 1-1: The Bruins nearly go back ahead, but Recchi’s rebound off the end boards with Ellis out of position is blocked by Tampa defenseman Brett Clark.
First Period, 15:30, 1-1: This has been an entertaining start to this one, but have to think Claude Julien probably isn’t enjoying watching so much wide-open play, which suits the highly-skilled Lightning lineup much better than the Bruins, who would prefer to set a more physical tone and try to grind out a win.
First Period, 11:36, 1-1: And that power play didn’t last long, as Stamkos is called for tripping up Chara off the faceoff, making it 4-on-4 for the next 1:55.
First Period, 11:31, 1-1: The Bruins are back on the penalty kill as Milan Lucic is called for hooking.
First Period, 10:18, 1-1: The Bruins got the first goal, which is usually a good sign, but Tampa has dominated this one so far. The Lightning have a 9-3 edge in shots and only a few sharp saves by Thomas have kept this one even.
First Period, 9:10, 1-1: Pavel Kubina is sent in all alone by Vincent Lecavalier, but Thomas comes up with a huge point-blank stop to keep this one tied.
First Period, 7:10, 1-1: And on cue, the Lightning strike quickly on the power play to tie it.
Ryan Malone fanned at the right post, but the puck popped over Thomas and Steven Stamkos was able to bang it home out of a scramble in front on the left side of the crease.
First Period, 6:44, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins will have to deal with Tampa’s potent power play for the first time in this one as Adam McQuaid is sent off for high-sticking.
The Lightning are second in the league on the power play, but first at home with a 29.5-percent success rate and lead the league with 37 power-play goals overall.
First Period, 6:29, Bruins 1-0: The Lightning have an early 5-2 edge in shots, but Thomas continues to shine and the Bruins have the early shot that matters so far with Ryder scoring on Boston’s first one on net.
First Period, 4:26, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins keep up the early pressure, but Ellis comes up with a big stop on Blake Wheeler to keep it a one-goal game.
First Period, 0:28, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins waste no time taking advantage of the power play, with Michael Ryder opening the scoring.
The Bruins actually lost the draw, but Dennis Seidenberg saves the puck at the blue line and gets it down to Mark Recchi. Recchi’s shot was wide, but Ryder banged in the rebound off the end boards past Ellis for the quick 1-0 lead.
First Period, 0:20, 0-0: Thornton starting this one off on the cranky side, as he takes the Bruins net off its moorings after a bump from Bergenheim, leading to a scrum that ends up with an extra minor to Bergenheim to put Boston on the power play. Bergenheim got two minutes for roughing and two for cross-checking, with Marchand getting two for roughing for Boston’s only penalty.
First Period, 0:00, 0-0: This one is under way in Tampa, where the Bruins look to continue their modest win streak after victories over Atlanta and Florida, while the Lightning try to avenge a humiliating 8-1 loss to the Bruins in Boston earlier this month.
7:30 p.m.: The lineups have been announced, and not only is Brad Marchand back, he’s starting.
The Bruins have scratched Daniel Paille, while Mark Stuart remains out with a broken hand. Tampa Bay is without Randy Jones (upper body).
The Bruins will open with the “energy line” of Marchand, Greg Campbell and Shawn Thornton up front, Zdeno Chara and Andrew Ference on defense and Tim Thomas in goal.
The Lightning counter with Simon Gagne, Vincent Lecavalier and Sean Bergenheim up front, Mattias Ohlund and Pavel Kubina on the blue line and Dan Ellis in net.
7 p.m.: Tim Thomas and Dan Ellis led their respective squads onto the ice for warm-ups, so it will be a sixth-straight start in goal for Thomas in this one.
That’s the longest stretch of the season that Tuukka Rask has gone without play, as he last appeared on Dec. 15 at Buffalo.
6:30 p.m.: The Bruins take on Tampa Bay in the second leg of their five-game road trip in about an hour.
After playing Florida Monday night, the Bruins did not hold a morning skate on Tuesday. Only Brad Marchand and Tuukka Rask skated, with coach Claude Julien telling reporters that Marchand will be a game-time decision after missing the last three games with an undisclosed injury originally suffered on a hit from Montreal’s P.K. Subban back on Dec. 16.
Daniel Paille has played better in this recent stretch, but the return of the energetic Marchand would be a welcome boost to the Bruins. Marchand is tied for the league lead with three shorthanded goals, and the Bruins could use him in the lineup against the Lightning’s potent power play.
With no skate, there was no clear indication on who will start in goal for the Bruins. The Lightning will start Dan Ellis.
8 a.m.: The Bruins opened their key five-game road trip by rallying in the third period Monday night in Florida and beating the Panthers 3-2 in a shootout.
Things won’t get any easier Tuesday as they move across the Sunshine State to take on Tampa Bay. The Lightning sit atop the Southeast Division and are second in the Eastern Conference with a 21-10-5 record and 47 points.
The Lightning also have plenty of motivation, as the Bruins humiliated Tampa Bay 8-1 in the clubs’ last meeting back in Boston on Dec. 2. That game might have woken up the Lightning, though, as they have gone 7-1-2 since, earning at least a point in each of their last eight games.
The Bruins have some momentum of their own, having put together a dominant performance in a fight-filled 4-1 win over Atlanta on Thursday at the Garden, then opening this trip with the shootout victory over the Panthers.
The puck drops at 7:30 p.m., so check back here throughout the day for updates on all the action.
