TAMPA — The Bruins went nearly 15 minutes without a successful shot on goal in the first period, a hole they could never quite get out of in a 4-2 loss to the Lightning in Game 2.
The series is now tied as it shifts to Boston on Wednesday night.
Charlie McAvoy scored with a minute and 30 seconds to play in the first period, which helped tip the momentum in the Bruins favor after the Lightning spent most of the first period controlling the pace.
Yet the Bruins were touch-and-go again in the second period. They didn’t attempt a shot in the final nine minutes. The turnovers mounted, the Lightning controlled the puck battles and took their bodies to the Bruins.
The worst turnover of the night came in the third period when Brad Marchand lost the puck in the neutral zone, which led to an easy opening for Ondrej Palat to make it 3-1 with just under six minutes remaining.
A Torey Krug goal got the Bruins to within one, but the Lightning added an empty-net goal.
After a sleepy showing in Game 1, the Lightning looked more like the team that was the best in the Eastern Conference.
Third period
9:53: Empty-netter for Point, who had quite the turnaround in this game.
9:44: Just kidding. Bruins have a bit of life. Krug snaps one in off the face off and it bounces of Vasilevskiy and goes in. GOAL: Lightning 3, Bruins 2.
Torey Krug pulls the #NHLBruins within one with 3 minutes to go pic.twitter.com/AWmg9P8VOg
— Marina Molnar (@mkmolnar) May 1, 2018
⚡⚡⚡
The @TBLightning make it 3-1 late in the 3rd! #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/1KdT9iDuum
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 1, 2018
What the heck is Tuukka doing? Tyler Johnson is excellent playoff performer. 24 goals in 54 games. Better goal scorer in playoffs than regular season. pic.twitter.com/MTxmZLTekP
— Bucci Mane (@Buccigross) May 1, 2018
Atta-Voy! @NHLBruins tie the game at 1!
Stream the #StanleyCup Playoffs here: https://t.co/ypEzC9zVuL pic.twitter.com/wuiIrtMK9a
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 1, 2018
? ? ? pic.twitter.com/web6ZLHCJY
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) April 30, 2018
TICKETS: SeatsForEveryone.com
GAME NOTES: NHL