TAMPA — In relation to these outside video games that the Nationwide Hockey League phases yearly, the accompanying extravaganza can overshadow the sport itself.
However at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, each the present and the hockey recreation had been equally satisfying. Until you’re a Bruins fan.
A goalie battle, a livid comeback, playoff-caliber physicality and a slew of penalties (totally on the Bruins) had been all a part of a wildly entertaining recreation through which the B’s blew a four-goal lead. In the long run, Jake Guentzel was the one goal-scorer within the shootout to carry the Lightning over the B’s, 6-5. Andrei Vasilevskiy, who fought Jeremy Swayman earlier within the recreation, stopped David Pastrnak to finish it as his shot hit the publish.
In case you advised the B’s, who had been lacking their high two centermen (Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha), that they’d get some extent out of this recreation beforehand, they could have been happy with that. However dropping this manner left a mark.
“That hurts. It hurts quite a bit,” mentioned Charlie McAvoy, who had two assists however took a second-period roughing penalty that began the deadly parade to the field. “The way in which that we misplaced it’s simply brutal, spending half the sport in penalty field.”
The Bruins constructed a 5-1 lead early within the second interval earlier than the Tampa Bay Lightning scored three straight power-play objectives within the second — two of which had been on 5-on-3s — to make it a one-goal lead late within the second interval.
At that time, the equalizer felt inevitable, and it got here at 11:50 of the third interval on a Nikita Kucherov one-timer from the left circle.
Then issues received actually weird. In OT, Pastrnak thought he’d scored the game-winner when his slapper beat Vasilevskiy however he had been referred to as for slashing, solely nobody had heard the whistle — as a result of there wasn’t one till Pastrnak had raised his palms in victory. The ref’s arm was up and the B’s had possession, however the whistle didn’t blow. Swayman had even headed to the bench for an additional attacker, understandably assuming the decision was on Tampa.
“I’ve no clue what occurred,” mentioned Pastrnak. “It’s a freakin’ turnover, we’ve received a 2-on-1, the referee has his arm up, he’s letting me go, Sway’s going to the bench, we completed the play, rating a aim and impulsively I’m within the penalty field. It’s a joke. I don’t perceive. I’ve by no means seen one thing like that. To me it was a joke. I don’t care if that’s a nasty reply, however that’s how I really feel. It’s bizarre. Rating a aim and find yourself within the penalty field. No matter. We gave them two factors and that’s what issues. Powerful on us.”
Coach Marco Sturm didn’t need to let his group off the hook however he wasn’t thrilled with the officiating.
“All of us have good days, all of us have dangerous days,” mentioned Sturm. “I’ve to take a look at among the calls. I do know a few of them weren’t in our favor, I can let you know that. However we do must a do a greater job, they usually most likely must do a greater job, too. Once more, general, I don’t blame them. It at all times comes again to us and when you give a man like Kucherov 10 minutes on the ability play, you probably did one thing mistaken. In order that’s on us.”
The B’s had been in a position to kill it after which Swayman stopped Kucherov on a clear breakaway with 28.9 seconds left in OT. The B’s then gave Tampa their seventh straight energy play when Hampus Lindholm was referred to as for holding with 24.7 seconds left. However the B’s had been in a position to kill that one off, too, to get it to the shootout.
There, the Bolts prevailed.
This one began with a bang.
The pretend fog from the nautical-themed pre-game spectacle had barely lifted by the point the B’s discovered themselves by a aim.
Simply 11 seconds into the sport, Brandon Hagel beat Swayman over the blocker for the fast 1-0 Lightning lead and the 64,617 in attendance erupted. It was their final alternative to cheer for the remainder of the interval.
The B’s, who would have a 20-8 shot benefit within the first interval, ripped off the following three objectives to a 3-1 lead into the primary break.
First, Alex Steeves, who had been a wholesome scratch within the two earlier video games, received the B’s on the board at 11:24, breaking a 15-game goal-less streak that dated again to Dec. 23. Mikey Eyssimont carried the puck down low on the left wing after which discovered Steeves within the slot for a one-timer and ninth of the season.
The B’s then took a two-goal lead on a few ideas.
At 15:36, Charlie McAvoy fired a shot from the boards that Morgan Geekie was in a position to deflect previous Vasilevskiy for his thirty first.
Then on the Lightning’s third minor of the interval, a Guentzel journey of Matt Poitras, the B’s cashed in on the ability play. After Vasilevskiy had robbed him on a earlier probability, Viktor Arvidsson deflected residence one other McAvoy shot for his 14th of the yr.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper, wearing a form of Tony Montana-style white swimsuit and fedora, took a protracted have a look at it, however Arvidsson’s tip was authorized and he declined to problem.
To make issues worse for Tampa was the lack of Anthony Cirelli, who took a tough hit from Mark Kastelic late within the first and didn’t return for the second interval. However the Lightning would stage a penalty-fueled comeback and get again to inside placing distance.
However first, the B’s stretched the result in 4-1 on the 2:22. Poitras, who only a few days in the past thought he’d be paying the Charlotte Checkers, scored his first of the yr on a reasonably aim. In his second NHL recreation of the season, Poitras took a feed from Kastelic and roofed a backhander previous Vasilevskiy.
With Tampa urgent to get again within the recreation, the Bolts coughed up an odd-man rush to the mistaken line. Marat Khusnutdinov dished as much as Pastrnak on the left facet of the blue line and Pastrnak had a 2-on-1 with Geekie. He carried the puck towards the circle earlier than dishing to Geekie for the one-timer aim at 8:18.
However the B’s – and the refs – gave the Bolts some life. McAvoy was referred to as for roughing and on the following energy play, Oliver Bjorkstand lifted the puck over a inclined Swayman at 10:28. After the aim, Kastelic gave Bjorkstrand a shove and Guentzel got here all the way down to go at Kastelic for a shoving match. Stunningly, Kastelic was the one participant to go to the field.
“We didn’t have our composure. It began with Charlie’s penalty there they usually had been simply higher than us after the whistle,” mentioned Sturm. “I don’t assume they had been higher than us in the present day, hockey-wise, however they had been higher than us after the whistle. They’re not harder than us however they did a greater and we misplaced our composure a little bit bit and it price us, sadly, some extent. That’s one thing now we have to study. They’re a veteran group over there they usually’ve been via it a lot of occasions. And we’re not. So hopefully we discovered one thing in the present day.”
Then all hell broke free. On the Tampa PP, Hagel jammed at a puck in Swayman’s pads. The goalie took main umbrage and decked Hagel, with McAvoy additionally leaping on the Bolt. As that was occurring, Vasilevskiy skated towards the Boston finish and, to the delight of the group, we had a goalie battle. As soon as the 2 netminders had gotten their respective gear off — and Swayman extricated Hagel’s stick from his left pad — they locked up. Vasilevskiy, a lefty, landed extra photographs than the righty Swayman earlier than Swayman misplaced his steadiness and it ended shortly. It was apparent neither goalie was an skilled pugilist, however the crowd didn’t thoughts, nor did the gamers.
The B’s survived that PP however they weren’t completed making it exhausting on themselves once they took three straight minors. The primary two, a Swayman delay and Tanner Jeannot interference, gave the Bolts a 5-on-3 for 1:48. They had been 19 seconds away from killing off the Swayman minor when Sean Kuraly was referred to as for closing his hand on the puck, seconds after he felt he was tripped.
On the primary 5-on-3, Darren Raddysh scored on a slapper to get the Bolts to inside two objectives at 15:50. After which their subsequent 5-on-3 kicked in. Twenty-three seconds later, Nick Paul pulled the Bolts to inside a aim. Tampa was in enterprise going into the third.
And because the Bolts have completed very often this season, they discovered a strategy to shut the deal.
