Lightning beat Bruins 3-2 in shootout
By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer
BOSTON - Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 shots and three more in the shootout, and Brayden Point scored the only goal of the shootout to lead the Tampa Bay Lighting to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
Nikita Kucherov and Erik Cernak scored early to spot the Lightning a 2-0 lead just 21 minutes into the game.
Brad Marchand had a pair of assists in his 1,000th career NHL game - all of them for Boston. Charlie McAvoy and James van Riemsdyk scored for the reigning Presidents Trophy-winning Bruins, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference despite losing three of their last four games.
Linus Ullmark stopped 23 shots for Boston, but he appeared to knock Point's shot into the net after deflecting it in the air.
The Lightning took the lead three minutes into the game when Ullmark made the initial save on Cernak's shot, drawing a whistle. After the puck trickled through the goalie's pads, McAvoy took a swipe at it to keep it out - but missed - and it continued on.
Replays showed it barely cleared the goal line, and since it was continuous action, the goal counted. Tampa Bay made it 2-0 just a minute into the second when Kucherov cleaned up a rebound on a power play and slammed it past Ullmark.
But the Bruins cut the deficit to one goal just 58 seconds later when McAvoy's wrister from the point got past Vasilevskiy. Boston tied it later in the second when Ullmark was off for a delayed penalty and van Riemsdyk poked the rebound of Marchand's shot through the goalie's legs.
Marchand is the eighth player in franchise history to reach the milestone. The Bruins said they will honor him with a ceremony before Monday's game against Dallas.
The achievement was recognized with a video during a first-period break. The crowd gave Marchand a standing ovation, both teams tapped their sticks, and even referee Tom Chmielewski clapped for the Bruins captain's milestone.