3 things we learned from Lightning vs. Bruins Game 2

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of their series. Here are three takeaways from the game.

It was a hard-hitting, fast, physical game in Tampa Bay tonight, ending with the Lightning tying up the series at one game a piece. Brayden Point had himself a game, recording a goal and three assists after having himself a forgettable outing on Saturday.

Tuukka Rask was great for the Boston Bruins, barring perhaps one goal he’d like back in the second period. The Bruins fought back in the third and at one point, it looked like it might have turned into another B’s third period comeback before Braden Point iced the game with an empty-net goal.

We learned a lot in this game, as it set a tone that an embarrassing Game 1 was not going to be the standard for the Lightning, who finished first in the Eastern Conference this season. Here are three of the more prominent things we learned in this game.

Three takeaways

1. This series is going to be very physical

Tampa Bay brought it all tonight. Game 2 was littered with huge hits from both sides, but more notably (and maybe surprisingly) from Tampa Bay. The Lightning finished every check hard and took every opportunity they got to slam Boston into the boards.

The Bruins have a long history of physical play, so playing hard is within their comfort zone as well, but they aren’t going to be coming away with any more 6-2 wins if this style of play keeps up. The Lightning are out-hitting the Bruins in this series and that will have to continue if they want to win in Boston.

A second one for good measure. Expect more of this, especially against Marchand, whom it seems the refs will swallow their whistles a bit more with.

2. These two teams already dislike each other

Almost coinciding with the first point, we’re only two games in to this series and these two teams are already doing everything they can to hold back from full-blown fights. The start of the third period and the end of the first two periods of Game 2 looked like this:

We’re early on in this series and the two teams are scrumming like we’re in a Game 6. Don’t expect this to stop when the series shifts to Boston’s barn. The Big Bad Bruins have a long history of playing this way, and they won’t let Tampa Bay come into their house and throw them around like they did in Game 2.

If there is one thing we know, it’s that friends aren’t made in the NHL playoffs. This one is only going to get worse (read: better) from here on out.

3. Andrei Vasilevskiy needs to be better

Tampa Bay did absolutely everything it needed to do to win this game. The Bolts were helped by a couple of questionable calls in the third period, including a self-high stick that led to a four minute penalty on David Pastrnak and a questionable non-call on a Lightning icing that led to a goal against Rask.

Despite this, the Lightning were not able to put Boston away until a last-minute goal on an empty net. Boston did not play their best game tonight, yet they were still in the game right until the end. Vasilevskiy was as good as he needed to be tonight, but he only saw 20 shots tonight, and let in a goal he wishes he could have back.

Vasilevskiy is a Vezina Trophy candidate for a reason. He had a spectacular regular season. If he wants his Tampa Bay Lightning to have a chance against the high scoring Bruins this series, he’s not going to be able to let in goals like this, let alone five goals, like he did in Game 1.

The Bruins are still getting most of their production from the top two lines in this series. If the team starts firing on all cylinders (they will in Boston) then Vasilevskiy is going to be seeing a lot more than 23 and 20 shots respectively. He’s going to have to up that .837 save percentage he is currently shamefully holding through two.

Oh, did we mention how physical this series is going to be?

https://twitter.com/CoyotesGlendale/status/991097216772145152

Next: Every current NHL franchise’s most beloved head coach

For more from the NHL playoffs, make sure to follow FanSided and stay tuned to our NHL hub for all the latest news and results.