Cirelli, Sergachev Help Lightning Beat Bruins 5-3
BOSTON (AP) — Anthony Cirelli and Mikhail Sergachev scored short-handed goals just 1:02 apart in the first period and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Boston Bruins 5-3 on Saturday night.
Cedric Paquette and Alex Killorn also scored for the Lightning, who took a 3-0 lead and then held off the Bruins after a wild second period. Nikita Kucherov added an emtpy-net goal with 1:02 remaining as Tampa Bay ended Boston's four-game winning streak.
By the time the game ended, the Lightning and Bruins combined for 36 penalties and 96 penalty minutes in their second meeting in four days. Boston entered the game leading the Eastern Conference with 98 points. The Lightning were tied for second with Washington with 89 points.
David Pastrnak scored his 48th goal for the Bruins, who had won four straight but couldn't rally back from their early deficit.. Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist and Sean Kuraly also scored for Boston.
Andrei Vasilevskiy made 35 saves for the Lightning, who lost 2-1 to the Bruins at home on Tuesday.
Tuukka Rask stopped 20 shots for the Bruins.
Boston pulled to 3-2 on goals by McAvoy and Kuraly in the second period, which was held up twice when all five skaters for both clubs locked up after the whistle. The second time started with Zdeno Chara and Pat Maroon tangling near center ice and their teammates followed with 1:06 left. The stoppage gave officials a chance to review what was initially called no goal when Tampa Bay's Brayden Point swept the puck from the goal line, but the replay showed the puck made it all the way over the line and the Bruins had pulled to 3-2.
Kuraly was credited with the goal and McAvoy got an assist.
Another scrum followed the horn at the end of the second period and led to more penalties.
Cirelli's goal 5:08 into the first put the Lightning up 1-0 just 7 seconds after Lightning forward Barclay Goodrow went off for elbowing. The Lightning scored again — on the same power-play — 1:02 later after a turnover by the Bruins just outside their zone and Yanni Gourde set up Serbachev for a one-timer from the slot.
Boston's Chris Wagner and Goodrow served two-minute penalties in the first period for unsportsmanlike conduct after being separated before either could throw a punch. The penalties only delayed the bout as both came out of the box and immediately threw down their gloves.
Paquette put Tampa Bay up 3-0 early in the second period with his seventh of the season.
NOTES: The Bruins held pregame a moment of silence in memory of former Montreal Candiens great Henri Richard, who died Friday at the age of 84. ... Fans gave Rask a mock cheer when he made an easy save — his first of the game after allowing goals on the first two shots he faced. ... Lightning D Ryan McDonagh missed his 14th straight game with a foot injury. ... Tampa Bay led 2-0 after one period despite being outshot 14-5 in the first 20 minutes.
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