In Tampa, Linus Ullmark made 32 saves for the visiting Boston Bruins in a 5-3 win over the Lightning on Monday night.
The win was the seventh straight for Boston.
Boston’s Patrice Bergeron collected his 1,000th career NHL point, an assist, in the win.
“It’s a special game that gives you a lot, obviously you go through a lot of ups and downs,” Bergeron said. “But in the end all you remember is those memories, friendships and the guys you go to battle with. It was a special moment.”
The Bruins improved to 17-2-0.
Nicholas Paul hit for a double for Tampa, including the game’s first goal for a 1-0 lead.,
“We hurt ourselves a little bit with attention to detail,” Paul said. “It’s hard to take positives when the team loses. Yeah, I had a couple of goals tonight, but when we lose it’s not as great.”
The Bruins responded with five straight goals to take a 5-1 lead through the third period.
“If he had any kind of cheat in his game he might have 1,200 or 1,300 points,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said. “But he’s just so dedicated to playing the game the right way and helping the team have success. He always thinks team, it’s amazing.”
David Krejci tied the game, 1-1, at 15:35 of the opening period.
Boston scored three times in the middle frame, Nick Foligno scored at 5:07 for the 2-1 advantage.
“It’s part of being in the net front, sometimes you’re gonna take one,” Foligno said. “We came out in the second and took over, so it was nice to be able to get that and go ahead. That’s what happens with our team, we just come in waves. Good teams do that, and it’s so hard to stop them.”
Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand pushed the lead to 4-1 headed to the third period.
“It’s a special moment and it doesn’t happen often,” Marchand said. “Obviously, it couldn’t be with a better guy. It’s another milestone in such an incredible career.”
David Pastrnak hit for a power play goal early in the third to make it 5-1.
Tampa tried to rally with two goals in the first half of the third; Rudolfs Balcers and Paul (power play) got the Lightning within 5-3, but that was as close as they got.
“Penalties, turnovers, a little bit of structure, in the end they probably weathered a little bit of our storm in the first period and got out of the period 1-1,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “And then they throw us their storm and it’s 4-1. That was the difference in the game.”
Tampa dropped to 11-7-1.
Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves in the Tampa loss.
“I think the first and third period I thought we pretty much controlled the game,” Tampa Bay forward Pat Maroon said. “Momentum is killed when you’re playing so well and then you get on the PK. We’re not getting our top guys out there.”
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