TAMPA, Fla – Martin St Louis and Teddy Purcell scored twice while Steven Stamkos had 3 points as the Lightning secured a vital win on home ice to force a game 7 showdown in the Eastern Conference final.
Facing elimination following Mondays 3-1 loss in Boston, Guy Boucher’s men could not have gotten off to a better start when Purcell scored his fifth goal of the post season after just 36 seconds to ignite the home crowd.
Bolts’ captain Vincent LeCavalier showing quick thinking on the play as Dave Krejci was thrown out of the face-off circle LeCavalier signalled to Purcell to adjust his position and then fed the puck straight to his stick from the draw for the feisty forward to rip it past Tim Thomas.
But the Bolts struggled to build on their early lead, registering just 4 shots during the opening period as Milan Lucic fired one past Roloson through a screen and then David Krejci beat the 41-year old to give the Bruins a lead heading in to the first intermission.
But it was Roloson, recalled after sitting out game 5, who had little to do during the second frame as the Lighting stepped up a gear.
Veteran winger St Louis scored his ninth of the post season 8 minutes in to the period, converting on the powerplay after a scramble around the Bruins net to tie the scorer at 2-2 before Teddy Purcell added another marker with the man advantage just over six minutes later.
Steven Stamkos then added yet another powerplay goal just 34 seconds in to the third period to leave the Bruins reeling as the home side jumped to a 4-2 lead.
It was Krejci again who popped up to keep Boston in the tie, scoring a powerplay marker of his own before St Louis restored the Bolts two goal cushion just 30 second later after a neat give and go move with Steve Downie.
The action wasn’t over yet either as Krejci completed his hat trick with a tip in to make it 5-4 with six and a half minutes still to play but the Bruins were unable to find a way past Roloson, who extended his record in elimination games to 7-0, as the Lighting set things up for a winner takes all clash in Boston on Friday!
The winner will go on to face Vancouver in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. Should Tampa win it will be the first time they have been anywhere near the Finals since they won the Cup in 2004.
For Bruins fans, it’s been an even longer wait – the last time Boston made the Finals was 1990, when they lost out to Mark Messier and the Edmonton Oilers.
Contact the author: rob.mcgregor@prohockeynews.com
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