Bruins Fall to Lightning in Shootout

BOSTON - David Pastrnak scored two power-play goals - including the tying tally late in the third to force overtime - but the Bruins fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-3, on Steven Stamkos' shootout winner in the fourth round on Thursday night at TD Garden.
"Shootouts are 50/50…too bad we weren't able to get the 2 points," lamented Pastrnak. "Obviously, we got power play goals, but we definitely want to be better at 5-on-5. The whole game we still had chances, we just weren't able to cover that ice."
Here are some notes and observations from the loss that dropped Boston to 5-1-1:

Pastrnak Pots Two:The 23-year-old continued his torrid pace, scoring two more goals - both on the power play - to give him eight for the season and six in his last two games. After potting four in Boston's win over Anaheim on Monday, the winger kicked off the scoring against the Lightning to give him five straight tallies, becoming the third Bruin in team history to accomplish that feat. Glen Murray holds the club record with six straight goals in 2004.
"Obviously, it's going in for me now," said Pastrnak. "But unfortunately, we were unable to get 2 points tonight so that's all that matters…I'm just feeling good on the ice, so I'm trying to do my best for the team and focusing on playing my hockey and how I can help this team."
Pastrnak, who extended his point streak to four games, also had an assist on Patrice Bergeron's power-play goal, giving him points on seven straight Boston goals, the team's longest stretch since he factored into eight straight from Jan. 19-Feb. 5 of last season.
"He's a goal scorer in this league, he's proven that," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "There's times he can get streaky - pucks flying in on the power play a lot, five-on-five as well. He's getting a few breaks around the net, but he's finishing his opportunities. He's around the net, right? So, it's a good lesson. Get there."
Pastrnak collected his first goal just seven seconds into the Bruins' first power play, when he took a feed from Bergeron and whipped one by Tampa goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy for a 1-0 lead at 9:34 of the first. His second - also on the power play - came after he corralled a Brad Marchand shot off the end wall, twirled, and fired one off a Tampa defender, knotting things at 3 with 3:05 remaining.
"He's not only scoring one way, he's certainly finding some pucks on the elbow on the power play, but that's by design," said Cassidy. "We have a power play, we have set plays. But some of the other ones, he's getting to the net, finding loose pucks, recovering pucks. He's getting rewarded for his work."

Power Play Stays Hot:All three of the Bruins' goals were via the power play, as Bergeron's second-period marker also came on the man advantage. Bergeron extended his point streak to six games with a goal and an assist, giving him a 2-5-7 line in that stretch. Marchand, who rang two posts, also extended his point streak to six games (4-7-11) with two helpers.
The B's 3-for-5 performance against the Lightning improved them to 8-for-21 (38.1%) this season, placing them second behind the Edmonton Oilers (45.5%).
"We have so many different traits…all 3 of us [Pastrnak, Marchand, and Krug] can shoot the puck - that's how we scored the first goal," said Pastrnak. "When the kill wants to take Marchy and me away, then Torey needs to recognize the shooting and that's what he exactly did. It's tough for the kill. I think every one of us on the power plays can score and that's what's been clicking, using different options all the time."

Secondary Scoring Missing: With Pastrnak and Bergeron accounting for the Bruins' goals, the top line has now scored 14 of the team's last 17 on the season. Though it remains early in the season, Cassidy acknowledged that the Bruins need more from the rest of the roster.
Outside of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak, the Bruins have single goals from Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, Danton Heinen, Brett Ritchie, and Joakim Nordstrom.
"We win the game, right, tonight, if we get secondary scoring from anybody," said Cassidy. "I think we're stating the obvious saying that. Having said that, our record is pretty good without it, but I don't think it's sustainable."

Last-Minute Dagger: The Bruins believe they were outplayed in the first period - outshot, 16-11 - but were on their way to carrying a 1-0 lead into the second before a breakdown in the final seconds left Brayden Point all alone for a breakaway on Tuukka Rask (33 saves). Point finished over Rask's glove with just 1.6 seconds remaining in the opening frame leaving the game tied, 1-1, after 20 minutes.
"[Relaxing is] a fair word," Cassidy said of Point sneaking in behind Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy. "Pick your word. I mean, when you're in the last bit of the period, you've got to be cognizant of nobody's behind you. It's just like a Hail Mary, it just can't happen. We weren't, and it's the wrong guy."
"It's a big difference," added Torey Krug. "It changes the dynamic of the game and the complexion of it and now all of a sudden we're going in between periods, its 1-1. They feel excited about what they've been doing, they finally break through.
"That's a goal we cannot let happen. Right now, our team's IQ is a little bit low and we're going to find a way to be a little bit smarter."

Stacking Up: The first matchup of the season between two of the East's top contenders was certainly worth the price of admission, as the heavyweights battled toe for toe.
"It's so early…it's tough but they're a great team," said Krug, who had two assists, giving him a 1-5-6 line in his last five games. "They have a majority of their lineup like they had last year - they know how to win. They're a tough team, so I think as the season progresses we'll both get better and it'll make for some interesting games down the stretch."