TAMPA, Fla. — In Game 5 in Boston, the Bruins' penalty kill was the difference as Boston moved within a game of the Stanley Cup Finals with a 3-1 win.
On Wednesday night in Tampa, the Lightning power play got its revenge, and it moved Tampa Bay within a game of the Finals after evening the series with a 5-4 victory in Game 6.
"Obviously their power play was the reason they won the game," Bruins forward Milan Lucic said.
If that is oversimplifying it at all, it's only that the true difference came on both sides of the special-teams battle. Not only did the Lightning strike on each of their first three power-play chances, but the Bruins also failed to convert on their first four opportunities with the extra man.
"Obviously it was a difference maker," Bruins coach Claude Julien said of the special-teams play. "They scored three goals on the power play and it took us a long time to get our first one, and that certainly dictated the game."
The Bruins got the first three power-play opportunities of the game, including two in the opening period. They generated some chances, particularly with the first unit deploying Zdeno Chara down low as a screen in front, but ultimately came away with no goals to show for their efforts.
"It seemed to help us," defenseman Dennis Seidenberg said of Chara's presence in front. "He definitely takes a lot of space up and the vision away from the goalie. We definitely created more chances than in the past."
But when you're one win away from the Cup Finals, moral victories aren't enough. Results are what matter.
"It is frustrating," Seidenberg said. "In the end, we have to take the positive out of what we did well today. We got shots to the net. We moved the puck better. But in the end the results count, and they were more effective and efficient on their power play."
Tampa Bay certainly was effective with the extra man. The Lightning didn't get a power-play chance until almost eight minutes into the second period, but they needed just 16 seconds for Martin St. Louis to convert it and erase Boston's 2-1 lead. Teddy Purcell added another power-play goal on their next chance late in the second, and Steven Stamkos struck 34 seconds into the third when Andrew Ference's cross-checking penalty carried over into the final frame.
"They were doing a good job getting pucks to the net and just getting to the bounces," Seidenberg said of Tampa's power play. "They did a better job of getting to the rebounds and just outbattling us in front of the net."
The Bruins didn't do enough of that until it was too late. They did finally convert their fifth and final power-play chance as David Krejci scored the second of his three goals, but St. Louis answered on a 2-on-1 just 29 seconds later.
The power-play struggles are nothing new, as they have been an issue throughout the season and especially in the playoffs. Boston is now just 5-for-61 (8.2 percent) with the man advantage in the postseason.
That could all be forgotten if they turn things around in Game 7 back in Boston, but Game 6 will go down as an especially frustrating night due to the club's not-so-special play on special teams.
"Everything that's happened 'til now doesn't matter," Lucic said. "It comes down to one game, and if our power play is great next game then nobody's going to be talking about how bad our power play's been."
