TAMPA — Everything you need to know about the Bruins 4-2 loss in quickie form:
Boxscore
HEADLINES
Intensity leveled: Jon Cooper surmised after Game 1 that the Lightning were dragging against the Bruins after a long week off since they eliminated the Devils in five games. He demanded more of his team and they responded well to his challenge in Game 2. The Lightning were physical on the puck and forced the Bruins to play through their intensity and Boston struggled to get much of anything going. Torey Krug gave the Bruins a brief chance when he scored late in the third period to make it 3-2, but the Lightning had already done enough damage to escape with the win.
Special teams effort
: The Bruins killed off a critical four-minute power-play in the third period after David Pastrnak was sent to the penalty box for high-sticking on Victor Hedman. It appeared Pastrnak lifted Hedman’s own stick into his face, but it would have been difficult in that moment for the officials to see that. That said, it was the Lightning who ultimately snuffed out the Bruins on the power play. Boston finished 0 for 3 and failed to score on a 5-on-3 in the second period.
Puck possession:
Tampa Bay won 57 percent of the faceoffs, but at one point the Lightning were winning two out of every three draws. They were physical in the dirty areas and hit the Bruins 42 times, nearly doubling the 24 hits Boston totaled. The finished the game with 13 giveaways.
TURNING POINT
The turnovers hurt the Bruins early in the first period as the Lightning charged to a fast start. None was more harmful than the one Brad Marchand committed in the third period. He lost possession leaving the zone and Brayden Point zipped the puck to Ondrej Palat, who scored to make it 3-1.
SECOND GUESS
Tuukka Rask was solid most of the night, but looked like he had a bad read on Tyler Johnson’s goal that gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead. Rask appeared to slide across the crease in anticipation of another pass, but Johnson snapped the shot in for the score.
TWO UP
Tuukka Rask:
Rask had a major role in keeping the Bruins alive during the first period. The Lightning peppered the Bruins with 10 shots on net before Boston managed to get one of his own. It was 1-1 after the first period, but it could have been much worse had Rask not delivered.
Charlie McAvoy:
The Bruins were hoping for more from the young defenseman after the first series against the Maple Leafs, particularly on the offensive end of his game, and he delivered Monday with a goal in the first period.
TWO DOWN
David Pastrnak:
It wasn’t a great overall night for the Bruins talented right wing. He had three giveaways and the four-minute double minor for high sticking.
Steven Stamos and Nikita Kucherov:
INJURIES
Sean Kuraly was banged up after he was brought down by Hedman in the second period. He went to the dressing room but returned three minutes later.
TOP PLAY
Andrei Vasilevskiy
David Backes
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
TWO TAKES GULIZIA WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
Home isn’t always welcome:
Stunning the Lightning in Game 1 was a big edge for the Bruins. Another win in Game 2 would have given the Bruins the opportunity to really tilt the series in their favor heading back to Boston. It’s likely the Bruins caught the Lightning sleeping in Game 1, and Tampa’s true intensity level was unleashed in Game 2.
Backes is missing:
The Bruins could use more from Backes. Sure, Vasilevskiy robbed him with a stellar save, but that attempt was only one of two shots he landed on net the entire game. He was limited in Game 1, too, with just a pair of shots.
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