BOSTON (AP) — Anthony Cirelli scored twice, leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to a resounding 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday night. The Lightning's performance not only ended their three-game winless streak but saw them hold Boston without a shot on goal during the second period, marking the Bruins' second period this season without one since 2007.
The game at TD Garden turned decisively during the second period, as the Lightning scored three times, with the Bruins failing to dent the scoresheet. The victory improved Tampa Bay's record to 38-23-5 and reinstated their position as contenders for one of the top seeds in the Atlantic Division.
Victor Hedman opened the scoring for Tampa Bay just 2:22 minutes after the puck drop, taking advantage of confusion at the net to net the first goal of the match after Darren Raddysh's shot rebounded off traffic. Boston managed to tie the game with Elias Lindholm's goal at 15:58 of the first period, redirecting Andrew Peeke's pass through several defenders past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.
With the two teams tied entering the second period, it was Tampa Bay who seized control. At just 2:13 minutes in, Nick Paul scored following Emil Lilleberg's shot deflecting off Boston defenders, reclaiming the lead for the Lightning. Shortly thereafter, Cirelli tipped Ryan McDonagh's shot to extend the advantage to 3-1 at the 7:22 mark.
Subsequently, Darren Raddysh added yet another goal with just under three minutes left in the period, capitalizing on another fortuitous deflection. Notably, during the second period, Boston attempted only three shots, with Tampa Bay firing 20 shots—taking the opportunity to dominate play.
Despite the tumultuous second period, the Bruins came out fighting after the intermission. Just 23 seconds after the third period began, Marat Khusnutdinov scored to pull the Bruins within two goals at 4-2, providing a glimmer of hope for the home team. Nevertheless, Tampa Bay quickly regained control of the pace of play.
The final two goals for Tampa came through empty nets from Cirelli, who inadvertently scored off Victor Hedman's pass with only 44.9 seconds remaining, and Brandon Hagel, who added another empty netter at 16:31. Even with some momentum building, the Bruins could not capitalize effectively.
Boston's loss brings their record to 30-29-8, making their path to the postseason increasingly difficult. After recently trading three cornerstone players, including captain Brad Marchand, the Bruins were left struggling, being just two points out of the final wildcard position.
Pavel Zacha expressed frustration post-game, stating, "It is very frustrating, especially not even having a shot [on goal] the whole period. We can’t play like this. It’s embarrassing." His sentiment echoed through the locker room, with Lindholm succinctly summing it up: "That second period is the worst I’ve seen us play this year."
The Bruins' goalkeeper, Jeremy Swayman, ended the night with 34 saves, showcasing some remarkable saves amid his team's defensive breakdown. Despite the frustrating outcome, he continued to give his all even when not getting sufficient backup from the defense. Swayman was unable to prevent the flood of goals allowed, as his defense struggled throughout the match. Swayman noted he was put under relentless pressure as the Lightning’s offensive pressure led to multiple scoring chances.
Both teams will hit the ice again on March 17, 2025, with Tampa Bay returning home to host the Philadelphia Flyers, and Boston preparing to welcome the Buffalo Sabres. With little room left for error, the upcoming games are pivotal for both teams, particularly for the Bruins who hope to stabilize their performance following their recent trades.
This game marked yet another clash between the two teams who faced each other for the second time within eight days. The last meeting saw the Bruins triumph at Tampa Bay, enhancing the intensity of Saturday's match.
The Lightning's impressive second period emphasizes the team’s ability to adapt and overcome their previous struggles, which included ineffective road performances and problems against division rivals. With this victory, Tampa has demonstrated their capability to dominate and could build off this performance moving forward.
Looking forward, if the Lightning can continue this level of play, they may solidify their spot among the top contenders, especially if they maintain this energy and performance against future opponents.
It remains to be seen whether the Bruins can remedy their issues swiftly. With numerous games remaining, how they respond following this loss could define their season as they vie for postseason contention.