@jayRecher
Beating the Boston Bruins always tastes just a little bit sweeter, doesn't it?
Steven Stamkos scored two goals and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves as the Lightning defeated the Bruins 3-2 on Thursday night at Amalie Arena.
This game was fast and furious right from the jump as Patrick Maroon and Zdeno Chara dropped the gloves just 27 seconds into the game, rekindling their rivalry from last season's Stanley Cup Final when Maroon's Blues beat Chara and the B's.
When facing Boston, your main focus has to be on the line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, and it didn't take long for that line to get on the board.
Marchand went around the net with some speed and threw a puck in front that Bergeron slammed home past Vasilevskiy just under four and a half minutes into the game to make it 1-0.
The Lightning controlled the majority of the second half of the opening period, but were unable to beat Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask.
Boston had some really good chances to start the second period, including multiple one-timers from Pastrnak, but Vasilevskiy was up to the task of keeping the Bruins at bay.
Tampa Bay finally turned the tide after John Moore was sent to the box for the second time on the night for tripping Alex Killorn, and it didn't take long for them to find the equalizer.
Nikita Kucherov found Stamkos wide-open in front of the net and the Captain beat Rask just six seconds after the Moore penalty to even the score at one.
Kucherov picked up another helper on Brayden Point's power play goal, just moments after getting robbed by an unbelievable glove save by Rask.
Boston was pushing hard for that game-tying goal, but Stamkos fired a laser beam of a shot over the shoulder of the Bruins netminder to put Tampa Bay up by two.
Moore scored with 3:15 left in the third to bring Boston back within one, but that was as close as they would get as Vasilevskiy came up big to secure the victory for Tampa Bay.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
- Boston - Bergeron - (Marchand, McAvoy) - 4:26
2nd Period
- Tampa Bay - PPG - Stamkos - (Kucherov) - 12:35
3rd Period
- Tampa Bay - PPG - Point - (Kucherov, Hedman) - 4:07
- Tampa Bay - Stamkos - (Unassisted) - 15:13
- Boston - Moore - (Bjork) - 16:45
PENALTY SUMMARY
1st Period
- Boston - Chara - (Fighting) - 0:27
- Tampa Bay - Maroon - (Fighting) - 0:27
- Boston - Moore - (Tripping) - 12:44
2nd Period
- Tampa Bay - McDonagh - (Interference) - 2:12
- Boston - Grzelcyk - (Tripping) - 4:48
- Tampa Bay - Shattenkirk - (Roughing) - 4:48
- Boston - Moore - (Tripping) - 12:29
3rd Period
- Boston - Kuraly - (Hooking) - 2:43
- Tampa Bay - Stamkos - (Hooking) - 10:28
What's Next For The Bolts : The Lightning are back in action on Saturday night as they host the Washington Capitals at Amalie Arena. Puck drop is slated for 7:00pm with the pregame show starting at 6:00pm on NewsRadio WFLA.