BOSTON — Anthony Cirelli showcased an impressive performance by scoring two goals in a game where the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins 6-2 on Saturday night. The Lightning dominated the Bruins by preventing them from taking any shots on goal during the second period.
In addition to Cirelli’s contribution, Nick Paul, Victor Hedman, and Darren Raddysh also found the back of the net for Tampa Bay, which successfully ended their three-game losing streak. Cirelli, alongside Ben Hagel, added empty-net goals to solidify their lead. On the opposing side, Elias Lindholm and Marat Khusnutdinov scored for the Bruins, who have been adjusting after trading away several of their veteran players, including former captain Brad Marchand.
Paul made his mark early in the second period by scoring off a rebound near the left edge of the crease, giving Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead. Previously, after suffering a shootout loss to Philadelphia, Hedman had put the Lightning ahead with a rebound shot early in the first period.
Lindholm managed to equalize the score for Boston in the opening period by taking advantage of a skillful pass from Andrew Peeke to shoot past Andrei Vasilevskiy. This matchup marked the second encounter between the two teams in just over a week, with the Bruins previously emerging victorious in Tampa Bay shortly after their roster changes.
Takeaways from the game indicated that despite some recent struggles after a strong February, when the Lightning posted a record of 7-0-1, they remain in contention for a top spot in the Atlantic Division. Conversely, the Bruins are nearing potential elimination from playoff contention, something that hasn’t occurred since 2016, as they contend with a tight wild-card race.
A pivotal moment in the match occurred when Cirelli skillfully redirected Ryan McDonagh’s shot into the net right after Tampa Bay’s power play concluded, extending their lead to 3-1. A striking statistic from the game was that Boston failed to register a single shot on goal during the second period, a feat they last experienced in 2007. Overall, the Bruins only managed to muster 12 shots on goal by the end of the match.
Looking ahead, both teams will return to action on Monday night. The Lightning will take on Philadelphia at home, while the Bruins will play host to Buffalo.
