By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
BOSTON — The Lightning on Thursday night became the first NHL team to score in the first and last 15 seconds of a playoff period, the Elias Sports Bureau reported.
And Tampa Bay players, after a 6-5 loss to the Bruins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final at TD Garden, couldn't have been less interested.
"We didn't win the game," center Steven Stamkos said. "That's all that matters."
What matters is the way Tampa Bay lost.
Usually so consistent in its structure and system, the Lightning, as Stamkos said, "veered off the map," especially in the second period, when the Bruins scored five goals to overcome a 2-1 deficit and take a 6-3 lead on its way to evening the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.
It was the most goals Tampa Bay has allowed in a playoff period. And the five goals on nine shots chased goalie Dwayne Roloson, who allowed six goals on 27 shots overall as the team and the goalie lost their eight-game winning streaks.
"It's been eight games," coach Guy Boucher said. "If that's not consistency, I don't know what is. If we have another eight games with our structure and consistency like that, I don't think we'd be crying."
Still, captain Vinny Lecavalier said, "it's disappointing. Our pride since the beginning of the year is our system and structure. It wasn't the way it's supposed to be, and that's what we're disappointed in.
"I don't want to take anything away from the Bruins. They really came out hard."
Bruins rookie Tyler Seguin, 19, in his second playoff game, had two goals and four points. Michael Ryder had Boston's fifth and sixth goals, the last and the winner, coming with 18.9 seconds left in the second period when he was left alone in front of the net.
Even Boston's power play, which entered 2-for-41 in the playoffs, chipped in with two goals.
"Definitely a big win for us," Ryder said. "We didn't want to be down 2-0. But they're probably going to say they came into our building and stole one, so they're probably happy with 1-1.
"We've just got to make sure next game we come out hard like we did and set the tone."
Tampa Bay, to its credit, kept working.
It outshot Boston 41-35. Lecavalier had a goal and four points. Stamkos had a goal and three points, and seven shots on goal.
And when Dominic Moore scored with 6:45 left in the third period off a scramble in front of goalie Tim Thomas — following Stamkos' goal earlier in the period — it was 6-5.
"We didn't quit," Stamkos said. "We have a lot of character on this team, and we believe in ourselves. We had some chances to tie it. If there is a positive, I guess that's it.
"You can't afford to give up six goals and expect to win a game."
That the Lightning led 2-1 in the first period was a miracle. Boston had an 18-11 shot advantage as Tampa Bay tied a team playoff mark for most shots allowed in a period.
Still, the Lightning scored 13 seconds into the game on Adam Hall's backhander — the fastest first goal in Lightning playoff history — and Marty St. Louis scored with 6.5 seconds left to make it 2-1.
But Tampa Bay could not gain any momentum from the late goal. And what should have been a buzzkill for the Bruins seemed to inspire them.
"They came out even stronger," Stamkos said of the second period. "It made them more hungry to score goals."
The Bruins swarmed. They made it difficult for the Lighting to get through the neutral zone and clear the defensive zone.
They scored five goals and tied the series.
That's much better, as it turned out, than making NHL history.