One day after selling off some key players at the NHL trade deadline, the Boston Bruins had to play the hottest team in the NHL, the Tampa Bay Lightning, on the road. With a makeup roster that would be playing their first game together, we all knew how this game was gonna go.
Or so we thought.
After trading Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo and Charlie Coyle, the Bruins did what nobody expected them to do, beat the Lightning on the road. If we're being honest, this is a fitting result for the way this season has gone for the Black and Gold.
What was impressive about the win was the way the Bruins played, the structure to perfection and shutout Tampa Bay at home, and it's the first time that's happened since 2023. They frustrated the Lightning and when they were able to get pucks through, Jeremy Swayman was there to stop them or they hit the post or crossbar. Hockey.
Quick Bruins observations from shutout of Lightning
- Raise your hand if you have Cole Koepke scoring two goals, with Mark Kastelic and Nikita Zadorov also lighting the lamp. Yeah, I thought so.
- Kastelic's goal might be the weirdest scored all year for the Black and Gold. His shot from center ice deflected off of the stick of Taylor Raddysh and got by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Those goals this season are supposed to happen against the Bruins this season, not go in for them.
- Swayman was great with some key saves. He controlled his rebounds for the most part, he was tracking the puck well and reacting well.
- Casey Mittlestadt played well in his Bruins debut after being acquired in the Coyle trade with the Colorado Avalanche. He picked up an assist on Koepke's first goal and was a plus-2 in 17:55 in time on ice.
- Mason Lohrei and Andrew Peeke led the Bruins as the top two defensemen in time on ice. Lohrei played 23:54 with three blocks and Peeke recorded six hits.
- Tampa Bay wasn't ready to play and that might be the most stunning outcome of the game.
- Swayman's stick save in the third period when dove back and got his stick on a Brandon Hagel shot that also went off the crossbar and out of danger.
The game of hockey is great, but does offer stunning results and this one ranks up there for the 2024-25 season.