Bolts by the Bay
Fansided

What the Lightning need to do to keep the Bruins from ruining a historic day on the Bay

The Bruins are bombarding the Bay on Sunday night, but the Lightning will look to send them sailing back to Boston with a loss to protect Tampa Bay and keep the excitement going on Gasparilla weekend in Tampa.
ByAlexis Farinacci|
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on Reddit
Aug 5, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins makes the first period save on Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning in an Eastern Conference Round Robin game during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff at Scotiabank Arena on August 5, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mandatory Credit: Andre Ringuette via Imagn Images
Aug 5, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins makes the first period save on Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning in an Eastern Conference Round Robin game during the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff at Scotiabank Arena on August 5, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mandatory Credit: Andre Ringuette via Imagn Images | Handout Photo-Imagn Images

It’s set to be a great match night in Tampa Bay as the Lightning welcome the Boston Bruins to Gasparilla on the bay to make National Hockey League and Raymond James Stadium history with the NHL’s first ever outdoor stadium series game. 

Both teams have been on a tear in the last two months of play. The Bruins (32-20-3) have won 12 of their last 15 matches. The Lightning (34-14-4) have won 16 of their last 18 and sit in first place in the Eastern Atlantic Division. The Bruins currently hold the second wild card spot in the division. So with two and a half months left in the regular season, this is also a big match for both teams in terms of divisional play. And though this game is crucial for both sides, for the Lightning, it’s a must win in order to prevent the Bruins from ruining a historic day on the bay and Gasparilla weekend and to do that, there’s a few things they’ll need to do.

On the Bruins’ side it’ll be players like right-winger, David Pastrnak and center, Morgan Geekie (brother of Lightning center Conor Geekie) that they’ll need to shut down and prevent from the net.

29-year old Pastrnak has skated in 50 games this season for Boston, accumulating 20 goals and 47 assists. He has a total of 69 points, and a plus-2 rating on the season. He has nine points in his last five games, include seven assists and two goals. In total on the season, Geekie has 30 goals, 20 assists, and 50 points in 54 games skated.

Geekie, the 27-year old from Strathclair, Manitoba, CAN has seven points in his last five games,  including four goals and three assists. He scored two goals against Montreal on January 24.

The Lightning, on the other hand will be looking for their captain, Nikita Kucherov to stay hot and have a big match. Kucherov in the Lightning’s last five matchups has acquired 12 points on three goals and nine assists. On the season, he has 27 goals, 55 assists, and 82 points, with a plus-27 rating in 48 games.

The Lightning are also set to get Victor Hedman back from the injured list on Sunday night. Hedman has been down the last several weeks. But prior to getting injured he has 12 assists in 18 games skated.

This will be the second meeting between the Bruins and the Lightning this season. The two teams met last on October 13. The Lightning defeated Boston 4-3 in that match.

Puck Drop is set for 6:30PM Sunday night.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Home/Lightning News