Back at the beginning of the game, the Lightning's PK was put to the test. Just 1:20 into the first period, the Lightning went on a four-minute penalty kill. They prevented the Bruins from recording even one shot on net during the extended power play. Another kill later in the first was also a strong one and helped the Lightning get out of the frame tied at 0-0. It was a period that didn't feature many scoring chances for either side, even with the three power play chances for the Bruins and one PP opportunity for the Lightning.
The feel of this game changed in the second, however. The Bruins established a lopsided possession advantage as the Lightning mismanaged the puck, especially in the Tampa Bay defensive zone. With all of that possession time, the Bruins accumulated a high volume of shots. But many of them were from longer range and didn't require tough saves from Vasilevskiy. Still, since the Lightning didn't have the puck much, the bulk of play in the period took place in the Tampa Bay defensive zone. Meaning that the Lightning weren't applying any pressure on Boston. The Lightning's initial shot on net in the period came at 7:11, when Brandon Hagel scored his first career shorthanded goal. After knocking the puck off Brad Marchand's stick inside the Lightning blue line, Hagel raced up ice and buried a centering feed from Ondrej Palat.
But the Lightning didn't build momentum from the Hagel tally. Instead, the Bruins tied things when Pastrnak took a lead pass from Erik Haula off the boards and finished a breakaway backhander at 9:55.
The Lightning enjoyed more possession in the closing minutes of the second, aided by a couple of power play opportunities. But they didn't cash in on either chance, so the game remaining tied at one after 40 minutes.
Following a fifth successful kill early in the third, the Lightning went back up by a goal. Steven Stamkos jumped on a loose puck in the slot and zipped it in at 3:51. But as was the case in the second, the Lightning didn't have the lead for long. The Bruins won a puck battle in the offensive zone and Haula set up Pastrnak at the side of the net, where he swept in a spinning backhand between Vasilevskiy and the post.
That second Pastrnak goal came at 8:17 and put momentum on the Boston side. While the Bruins didn't register as many third period shots as they had in the second, the shots they did fire on net were more dangerous. The Bruins attacked effectively off the rush and Vasilevskiy made several tough saves, including two stops on Grade-A looks for Charlie Coyle.
Eventually, the Bruins got the goal that won them the game. The sequence started with a face-off in the Lightning end. The Lightning were forced to defend for a potion of the shift, but then they took the puck away and were in the process of coming out of the zone. But they lost it just inside the blue line and Haula hurried a shot to the net. It caromed to Pastrnak, who snapped home a shot from the bottom of the right circle.
Not only did the Lightning drop this game, they also lost Ryan McDonagh to injury in the third period. They'll look to pull themselves out of this three-game losing streak when they face the Red Wings in Detroit on Saturday afternoon.
Lightning Radio Three Stars of the Game:
1. David Pastrnak - Bruins. Hat trick.
2. Erik Haula - Bruins. Three assists.
3. Charlie Coyle - Bruins. 12-5 on face-offs.
