The Boston Bruins picked up just one of a possible six points on a three-game road trip that ended with a 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night.
The loss extends Boston’s skid to five games (0-3-2) and snaps the Bruins’ 10-game win streak over the Lightning.
The Bruins have three days to prepare for a Thursday night matchup with the Western Conference-leading Anaheim Ducks at TD Garden.
Here are three takeaways from Bruins-Lightning:
1. Lightning Dominate First Period After Bruins Score First
The Bruins started the game perfectly and took a 1-0 lead just 33 seconds into the game. Patrice Bergeron scored his 21st goal of the season on a shot from the slot. He now has goals in back-to-back games.
About five minutes after Vladislav Namestnikov tied the score on a rebound at the 5:49 mark, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos and Bruins winger Brad Marchand engaged in a brief fight.
Tampa Bay quickly responded to its captain’s actions by scoring two goals in 15 seconds for a 3-1 lead. J.T. Brown split Bruins defensemen Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg with speed, and Anton Stralman scored from the point on a shot that took a deflection in front of the net.
2. Tuukka Rask Pulled After Allowing Four Goals
Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask was replaced in net by backup Niklas Svedberg after Lightning defenseman Jason Garrison scored from the point at the 7:54 mark of the second period. Rask’s rebound control wasn’t very good, specifically on Namestnikov’s first-period goal, but the Bruins didn’t do much to help him, either.
It was the first time since November that Rask had been pulled. He entered Sunday’s game with a 4-2-2 record and a .939 save percentage in eight March starts.
Svedberg gave up one goal and made six saves in 31:29 of ice time.
3. Lightning’s Second Line Shines
Tampa Bay has the best second line in the NHL, and it proved why in Sunday’s win.
The Ondrej Palat-Tyler Johnson-Nikita Kucherov trio combined for four points (one goal, three assists), three shots and seven scoring chances. It also was the only Tampa Bay line with a positive shot attempt differential at even strength.
Thumbnail photo via Perry Nelson/USA TODAY Sports Images
