Recap: Stamkos strikes in OT, Bruins fall to Lightning 3-2

The Boston Bruins dropped tonight’s game to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 3-2, in overtime at the TD Garden, despite overall outperforming the Bolts’ offensively.

“Even when we were down, 2-0, we were playing a good, solid game,” Joe Sacco said.

The Bruins outshot the Lightning each period and 39-25 on the night. In the first period, the B’s held the Lightning to six shots, and zero on Tampa Bay’s early power play.

But a defensive misstep put the Lightning up 1-0 on a shorthanded goal at 14:13 of the first period.

Despite better puck possession and more offensive-zone time, the B’s couldn’t solve Andrei Vasilevskiy for a majority of the first half of the game.

The Lightning also had a bit more puck luck to add to their lead with a deflection goal out front early in the second period at 3:36.

Eventually the Bruins’ front-of-net presence and battles for rebound opportunities paid off. An all-around effort from Charlie Coyle’s line lead to Coyle making it a 2-1 game at 16:30 of the second period.

The B’s kept that momentum going in the final frame with quality chances off the start as David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall were finding each other for solid opportunities that just weren’t finished. (And it didn’t help that Pastrnak kept hitting the post and crossbar all night and therefore only registered one shot on net).

Less than five minutes into the third period following a big energy shift from the B’s top line, Curtis Lazar evened the game at 2-2 on a solid forecheck from his linemates.

The first 13 minutes of the third was a Bruins’ offensive. The Bruins had eight shots on net while the Lightning had none.

The Lightning pushed back in the final minutes to force Jeremy Swayman to make some important saves which sent the game to overtime.

The Bruins had a few chances from Coyle and a breakaway from Pastrnak in extra minutes. But a 2-on-1 goal from Steven Stamkos gave the Lightning the OT win.

One point. Without Charlie McAvoy, huge saves from Vasilevskiy and all the hit posts, it’s a big point.

Up next: The Bruins head out West for a three-game road trip. They will face the Vancouver Canucks on December 8 at 9 pm.

The goals:

The Lightning opened the scoring at 14:13 of the first period with a shorthanded goal.

Mike Reilly hesitated in the neutral zone, which allowed Taylor Raddysh to pick up the puck and outskate Reilly, as he entered the offensive zone. Switching from forehand to backhand, Raddysh beat Swayman’s right skate. 1-0 Lightning.

The Lightning extended their lead at 3:36 of the second period.

Anthony Cirelli hit Ondrej Palat with a short pass entering the offensive zone. At the top of the left-wing circle, Palat’s shot redirected off Tomas Nosek’s skate and past Swayman. 2-0 Lightning.

The Bruins cut into their deficit at 16:30 of the second period.

Erik Haula found the loose puck from Craig Smith’s shot to backhand a blind pass to Coyle. From the low left-wing circle, Coyle sent a one-timer past Vasilevskiy blocker. 2-1 game.

The Bruins tied the game at 4:44 of the third period.

Brandon Carlo dumped the puck in. As Ryan McDonagh tried to clear it, the loose puck found Lazar who skated to the front of the net and put a backhander top-shelf over Vasilevskiy’s glove. 2-2 tie game.

The Lightning scored at 1:31 of overtime to win the game.

On a 2-on-1, Stamkos fired a slap shot from inside the right face-off circle that went top-shelf over Swayman. Final score: 3-2 Lightning.