Post-Game Talk: GAME 17 - Slip Slidin' Away -Lightning 5 BRUINS 4 F/OT

[Fenway]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Steven Stamkos scored the tying goal with 4.8 seconds left in regulation and Brandon Hagel got the winner on a breakaway 1:19 into overtime as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins 5-4 on Monday night.

Tanner Jeannot, Nicholas Paul and Austin Watson scored for the Lightning (9-6-4). Jonas Johansson turned aside 22 shots.

“We’re a good team, too,” Stamkos said. “We don’t have the same record because we’ve played a little reckless at times."

Stamkos' goal came after Victor Hedman kept a clearing attempt in the Boston zone. Hedman also set up Hagel's goal.

Stamkos tied Pat Verbeek for 38th place with 522 goals.

Pavel Zacha, David Pastrnak, John Beecher and Charlie Coyle scored for Boston. Jeremy Swayman stopped 41 shots as the Bruins dropped to 13-1-3 on the season.

“We hold ourselves at a pretty high level,” Coyle said. “Giving up points like that, it’s unacceptable in our dressing room. We’ve got to close these games out.”

Tampa Bay star Nikita Kucherov skated gingerly off the ice midway through the second but returned for the third.

“Kuch, I was surprised he came back,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “As soon as we came in after the second period, he says ”Oh no, I’m coming back.' I think that gave the guys a huge boost."

Pastrnak and Beecher scored 1:21 apart midway through the third before Watson pulled Tampa Bay even at 3-3 just 57 seconds after Beecher's goal. Coyle then put Boston up 4-3 with 3:51 remaining,

It's just the fourth time Boston has allowed more than two goals in a game.

“You’ve got to play to the end,” Coyle said.

After failing to score during a minute-long 5-on-3 power-play earlier in the second. Paul put the Lightning up 2-1 on a deflection of Mikhail Sergachev's man-advantage shot with 30 seconds left in the period.

Tampa Bay's top-ranked home power play went 1 for 6 against the Bruins' league-best penalty kill. Boston failed to score on its two power plays.

Pastrnak extended his point streak to seven games with a nifty pass from the low slot to set up Zacha’s goal that tied it at 1 midway through an up-tempo first period that Tampa Bay held a 19-12 shot advantage.

Brad Marchand also assisted on Zacha’s goal amd moved past Lightning broadcaster Phil Esposito into fourth place in franchise history with 431 road points. The left wing has a point in six consecutive games.

Stamkos also had an assist and has at least 40 points against 14 different franchises. Stamkos is the fourth active player to record the total against as many franchise, joining Alex Ovechkin (14), Evgeni Malkin (16) and Sidney Crosby (15).

UP NEXT

Bruins: At Florida on Wednesday night.

Lightning: Host Winnipeg on Wednesday night.

Click to read more...

 

[Fenway]

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[Fenway]

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[Aeroforce]

We all know you can't win 'em all; but grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory? Ouch.

Their record is still gaudy, but just think if they could actually clear the puck out of their own zone. Then again, Game Seven never goes to overtime if they could do that.

The officiating was questionable, and they were outplayed much of the game (the 46 shots Tampa posted isn't overly concerning; they were firing lots of shots from the perimeter).

But the recurring theme of not being able to closeout games in the last minute is frustrating.

I can't read Marchand's mind, but a soft dump in the corner kills well more than the four seconds left when Tampa tied it. My guess is he was trying to setup a (meaningless) ENG.

And Zacha appeared to be doing the same thing looking for Beecher flying the zone.

As Brickley often says, Details."

If Montgomery doesn't lay into them, maybe the dads will ground them for a few days.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

The good and the bad were two sides of the same coin in this one - it can positively be said that while the Bruins got outplayed and outworked they were opportunistic and plucky enough to come within 5 secs of taking 2 points, and still came away with 1. Equally, and more negatively, they got outplayed and outworked in another one of those contests that had something close to a playoff feel and style, and again couldn't close out a game.

These games can be frustrating in the moment, but looking at the result more dispassionately and analytically, in the long run I actually think it's better that they lose some of these sorts of clashes and hopefully learn some lessons in doing so. Too often last season they got away with poor performances and still won, and credit to them for that, but I think it gave the players a bit of an inflated sense of themselves and didn't steel them for the tough contests and allow them to work out how to cope and respond when the heat really came on. Who knows where this season's team will end up, but if it has to battle and pick itself up from some hits and lumps more often, that will be no bad thing as long as it has a salutary effect for its postseason prospects.

Tampa are expert at working the officials, and whether you want to consider that unsportsmanlike or whatever, reality is it's part of the game and a proven way to gain an advantage. Boston needs to work out a better way to respond against those sorts of tactics, however exactly they chose to do that. At the same time, can't use it as an excuse for coming up just short. Not a terrible performance all told, but some work to do, especially in finding a bit more push back and pace in these higher intensity games. Florida will offer an immediate chance to try and improve against another good opponent.

 

[quietbruinfan]

I will repeat, Furlatt is an incompetent, biased piece of human garbage. Lohrei and Monty have a lot to learn.

 

[bbfan419]

We have seen this story before and even already earlier this season against Anaheim. They have to learn to the clear the zone when they get the chance, they had 2 good opportunities to do so and failed, which led to the tying goal. I don't mind losing a game if you were beaten cleanly, but when you give away as they did, it just infuriates me to no end.

 

[chizzler]

Let’s not forget that it started off as a 6 on 4. They did’t break down as much as people want to post. They’re PK were tired from the previous PP’s. It’s just Tampa’s coach is a complainer extraordinaire.

 

[RHR37]

16 seconds left puck needs to get out plain and simple. As good as this team has been there is a concerning trend here dating back to last years playoffs.

You just handed a divisional rival 2 points.

 

[Fenway]

I didn't see the game live as I had to go to a 5th Anniversary 'Celebration of Life' for my soulmate Phyllis in Abington.

Can not blame Swayman but I wonder why the rotation was altered.

Should have been a regulation win but........................

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I didn't see the game live as I had to go to a 5th Anniversary 'Celebration of Life' for my soulmate Phyllis in Abington.

Can not blame Swayman but I wonder why the rotation was altered.

Should have been a regulation win but........................

Bruins mentioned post game a minor issue with Ullmark.

Montgomery's interview above. "7 penalties" repeated. Good way to call out the officials without triggering a Bettman thrashing.

 

[GoBs]

Zacha 5 for 16 on the dot and he starts the OT where puck possession is crucial

 

[caz16]

Bruins mentioned post game a minor issue with Ullmark.

Montgomery's interview above. "7 penalties" repeated. Good way to call out the officials without triggering a Bettman thrashing.

Also, the fact that there were two 5 on 3's in the game, our PK was exhausted.

I am also disappointed by the goal with only 4 seconds left but it was a 6 on 4. It happens.

Still, one regulation loss is nothing to complain about, the games they are only getting one point out of have been clown shows by the refs basically. It spoils the games. Last night could have been a great game if they hadn't been so ridiculously obvious about handing penalties out to the Bruins and letting Tampa getting away with so much. Ridiculous. It was as blatant as I have seen.

 

[Guelph Bruin]

Refs were not good for sure but when a team plays the heavy pressure game on you then the refs will typically call penalties on the team on their heels ...Bruins were on their heels, specially in the 3rd. Right or wrong it's been that way in the NHL since I can remember. Solution? ..don't let the other team dictate the pace of the game to that degree, push back.

 

[Trizz617]

The good and the bad were two sides of the same coin in this one - it can positively be said that while the Bruins got outplayed and outworked they were opportunistic and plucky enough to come within 5 secs of taking 2 points, and still came away with 1. Equally, and more negatively, they got outplayed and outworked in another one of those contests that had something close to a playoff feel and style, and again couldn't close out a game.

These games can be frustrating in the moment, but looking at the result more dispassionately and analytically, in the long run I actually think it's better that they lose some of these sorts of clashes and hopefully learn some lessons in doing so. Too often last season they got away with poor performances and still won, and credit to them for that, but I think it gave the players a bit of an inflated sense of themselves and didn't steel them for the tough contests and allow them to work out how to cope and respond when the heat really came on. Who knows where this season's team will end up, but if it has to battle and pick itself up from some hits and lumps more often, that will be no bad thing as long as it has a salutary effect for its postseason prospects.

Tampa are expert at working the officials, and whether you want to consider that unsportsmanlike or whatever, reality is it's part of the game and a proven way to gain an advantage. Boston needs to work out a better way to respond against those sorts of tactics, however exactly they chose to do that. At the same time, can't use it as an excuse for coming up just short. Not a terrible performance all told, but some work to do, especially in finding a bit more push back and pace in these higher intensity games. Florida will offer an immediate chance to try and improve against another good opponent.

Perfectly stated. Take some lumps now and have them serve vital lessons moving forward.

 

[mjhfb]

Zacha 5 for 16 on the dot and he starts the OT where puck possession is crucial

Was watching the Tampa feed and they mentioned how bad the Bruins were at faceoffs all game, and how noticeable 37 or 46 not around anymore for key situations.

 

[mxcrossb]

They mentioned how Tampa gets a huge chunk of their goals on the power play, but they looked really good 5v5. The ice is crazy wide open. But it eventually made sense: they know how to draw them. Maybe you just have to hope things even out and we’re not short handed in the final two minutes every other week for the rest of the season.

Good game for Pasta though, I felt like he asserted himself as the leader of the team.

What did you guys think of the first Tampa goal?

 

[lopey]

Terrible way to lose. Monty needs to make it a point with the players that ENG are not important to winning. Getting puck out off zone is. I was surprised two vets tried to score at that juncture of the game . They know better

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

Of course after a bruins win the PGT is always dead. People just love to complain and be miserable here.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

I hope the team is as angry with that loss as I am. Might push them forward.

I feel like we still have a lot of growth left in this team even with a 13-1-3 record.

How 'bout that Beecher, eh?

 

[smithformeragent]

The shoe’s been on the other foot more often than not with this Bruins team pulling last second victories out of their asses.

It’s the best and worst part of this sport, the mad scramble with the goalie pulled to tie things up.

Love it when it’s your team that pulls it out.

 

[bwunderlich]

I do not like Pasta out to start OT. I'd have JDB out there. Ullmark looked tweaky in the Buffalo game late.

FO's are an issue.

Mason had a tough game. We need a 1A/B centerman to go far in the playoffs.

Details were not there. Team was scrambling but still shoulda won..

 

[mjhfb]

The game was entertaining, so there's that.
But being old school, I have to admit that I was screaming at the TV multiple times when the Bruins passed up point blank shots for a lower percentage fancier play that didn't work out.
I kept repeating to myself "the game has changed, accept it...".

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

The team really needs to work on getting pucks out of their zone.

Just bad decisions every game. Even when they have a few seconds to think about it.

Work on angles and power, Monty. We are getting intercepted because we telegraph and put up lazy low energy tumbling muffins to our own blue line.
This is a consistent problem.

 

[DKH]

"Zacha is so unserious": Boston Bruins fans unhappy with $19,000,000 center's performance in OT loss to Lightning

In a nail-biting showdown at Amalie Arena on Monday, the Boston Bruins faced a heart-wrenching 5-4 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

www.sportskeeda.com

Bruins fans overall are dumb as shit

I deserve the best team in hockey but most deserve the Sabres the last 15 years