Three Impressions from Bruins – Lightning Showdown

The Boston Bruins lost a tough one against their division rival and league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning Monday night. After an underwhelming opening period, the B’s recovered nicely in the second frame, scoring three unanswered goals to take a 4-2 lead. However, it all vanished in the third period as the Lightning mounted a huge onslaught and eventually scored a game-winner with less than a minute to go in the regulation time.

This game isn’t a true indicator of what would happen between these two in the playoffs. Nevertheless, let’s just take three impressions from that game on Monday night at Amelie Arena. It might say something heading towards to the playoffs, or it can be pretty much meaningless.

Bruins need to have healthy defensemen

This is the biggest reason why the Bruins lost the game against the Lightning. John Moore went down injured after the first period, forcing the B’s to finish the game with just five defensemen. That’s not an ideal scenario facing the Presidents Trophy-winners on the road. In the third frame, it caught the Bruins big time as they could not stand up against a furious Lightning attack.

Torey Krug should be back against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night. Matt Grzelcyk and Kevan Miller should make their returns next weekend.

With a full six-man defensive roster in the game on Monday night, the Lightning might well have mounted the offense in the third period as they did with five. But the Bruins would have had less-tired players and had better chances to defend a lethal Lightning onslaught. Defensively, Monday was a wild one; the Bruins would do better dictating the pace.

Bruins had better special teams matchup than Tampa Bay

The Bruins scored on their first power play of the night to tie the game at one in the first period. Later on, they had a glorious chance to tie the game again on the man-advantage, including a long 5-on-3 power play to close out the opening frame. Afterward, the Lightning had six powerplays in total, but the best power play in the NHL could not capaitalize on anyof those chances.

During the even-strength, the Lightning had a massive 45-29 Corsi advantage throughout the game. However, during the special teams situations, the Bruins had an 11-7 Corsi advantage. In the latter situation, the Bruins had three power plays and the Lightning had six power plays. In the second part of the third period, the Bolts had four-minute man-advantage and could not register a single shot on the goal. The Bruins were betterduring the special teams.

Bruins had better bottom-six forwards, the Lightning top-six forwards

It was once again the showdown between the top skaters from both teams in a battle between the Bruins and the Lightning. David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron had two assists, and Brad Marchand had two goals .On the other side, Steven Stamkos had a four-point night and Nikita Kucherov had just one goal, but he tilted the ice throughout the game. Stamkos had a 28-6 advantage, Kucherov had a 30-17 edge and J.T. Miller had a shiny 21-5 Corsi advantage.

With that being said, the Lightning generated a lot of danger with their top-six forwards. The Bruins did just the same but weren’t as good as Tampa Bay’s top skaters. The Lightning, however, couldn’t get muchgoing from their bottom-six forwards. The Bruins got a nice goal from Charlie Coyle to tie the game at two in the second period.

Statistically speaking, the play of both bottom-six skaters were pretty much evened up. But that’s the point, they were at least even. Last spring in the playoffs, the Bruins were able to silence Stamkos and Kucherov, but Lightning’s bottom six guys just outmuscled the Bruins third andfourth offensive lines.