Lightning depth shines through again in Game 3 win against Bruins
Take lead in Eastern series despite getting little from top line
"Taking care of business, every day. Taking care of business, every way."
The Bachman Turner Overdrive song was perfect for what was nearly a perfect night on the road.
RELATED: [Lightning score early to win Game 3 over Bruins | Complete Lightning vs. Bruins series coverage]
The Lightning got two goals from forward Ondrej Palat in the first 3:19 of the game, and that was all they needed in what became a dominant 4-1 win against the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at TD Garden on Wednesday.
Tampa Bay has responded following a 6-2 loss in Game 1 on Saturday by winning the past two games by a combined 8-3 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.
"We're in a playoff series and we're playing like that," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "We're skating. We're physically engaged. They're just playing responsible. It's hard to do, to amp yourself up game after game after game. These guys, they've just found a way."
They have despite getting nothing more than one empty-net goal from their top line of J.T. Miller, Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov.
Stamkos got it at 19:18 of the third period. Miller had the assist. Until then, they had no points in the series. Kucherov, who had 10 points in five games against the New Jersey Devils in the first round, still doesn't have any in three games against the Bruins.
It hasn't mattered yet, and that's the beauty of the Lightning. It might be what separates them from the Bruins when this series is all over.
Boston trails in this series in part because it is leaning too heavily on its top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak to make the difference on the scoresheet.
Bergeron, who scored Wednesday, Pastrnak and Marchand have accounted for 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in the series; the rest of the Bruins have combined for nine points (five goals, four assists), including two on Jake DeBrusk's empty-net goal in Game 1.
The Lightning have gotten 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) from players who don't play on their top line. Palat (three goals, one assist), Brayden Point (one goal, three assists) and Victor Hedman (four assists) are the only players with at least four.
"I don't think this group really looks at who is doing what as far as the score sheet goes, honestly," Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. "We know our top guys are playing the right way and they're giving us looks and generating some chances on the power play. Everybody has really bought into that 200-foot game here. That's been the key to our success."
That's Palat's game. It's helping him drive offense the past two games.
Palat scored the game-winning goal in Game 2 and followed that by giving the Lightning an early lead with goals at 1:47 and 3:19 of the first period in Game 3.
"We're trying to play a simple game, don't turn the puck over and stay on top of them," Palat said. "The last two games, we did a good job. When we play in their zone, it's good defense."
Anthony Cirelli thrives on that type of game too. He made a difference with a momentum-swinging goal Wednesday.
Cirelli, playing in his 26th career NHL game, scored his first Stanley Cup Playoff goal at 16:43 of the first period to give the Lightning a 3-1 lead. It came 2:31 after he whiffed on a potential clearing attempt that led to Bergeron's power-play goal.
"So here you have a young kid, his feet are barely wet in the NHL, and now the score is 2-1, and who responded with the big goal after that?" Cooper said. "He didn't shy away from the moment or sit back and say, 'I wish I would have got that, maybe they wouldn't have scored.' He just went out there and said, 'I'm going to will my way to score a goal.' Right there said everything to me about that kid.
"I was so pumped when he scored that goal."
The Bruins tried to push back early in the second. Hedman and McDonagh wouldn't let them.
Hedman was on the ice for 4:25 straight, with McDonagh playing 3:24 of that with him, in the first five minutes of the second period. The Lightning iced the puck three times and the Bruins got off nine shot attempts during Hedman's shift; only two hit the net. Hedman had two blocked shots.
"There's a reason one of them is up for the Norris (Hedman) and the other one has been a phenomenal player in this league," Cooper said. "They just find a way. That was for me the turning point in the game. After we had a really good first period, that was [Boston's] push, and those guys locked it down."
The Lightning did it again in the third period, when defenseman Anton Stralman played 10:44, McDonagh 8:39, Point 8:10, Hedman 7:27 and Palat 7:11.
Finally, from center ice in the final minute, Stamkos got the goal he hopes will be the slump-buster. It was merely a bonus on this night because everyone else made sure the Lightning didn't have to work overtime.
