Bruins vs. Lightning Game 4: Highlights, final score and more

The Tampa Bay Lightning took a commanding 3-1 series lead at TD Garden in Boston on Friday night. Here are the highlights, score and more.

Tampa Bay and Boston put on a show on Friday night in TD Garden in Game 4. In the end, the Tampa Bay Lightning won their third straight game of the series in the first overtime game for both teams in this years playoffs.

Once again the Lightning jumped out to an early lead in Boston with goals Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, and the Bruins would answer soon after to cut the lead in half before the end of the first period. Patrice Bergeron tied the game early in the second period, and gave the Bruins a 3-2 with a shorthanded in the third period. Tampa was able to rally, and Steven Stamkos scored his first goal of the series to tie the game late in the period.

In overtime, Alex Killorn sent the puck to the net and Dan Girardi just get enough of it to tip it past Tukka Rask to give the Lightning a 4-3 win, and a 3-1 series lead with their third straight win.

Now after taking both games on the road in Boston, the Lightning have put themselves in position to end this series early and seal the deal on home ice.

Three Stars

3. Steven Stamkos

Ask and you shall receive. People have been asking for Stamkos to get going and put some points on the board, and that’s exactly what he did in Game 4. Stamkos came through in a big moment with the tying goal, controversial or not, late in third period to take the air out of the building. Stamkos also recorded a secondary assist on Kucherov’s powerplay tally, for two points on the evening.

2. Patrice Bergeron

The Bruins may have come up short in Game 4, but Patrice Bergeron played absolutely sensational all night. Bergeron logged the most ice time among forward tonight, and for good reason. Bergeron changed the tempo of the game with the tying goal early in the second period, and put the Bruins in position to tie the series with a shorthanded goal in the third period. Unfortunately, Boston couldn’t step up around Bergeron, and he was unable to bail them out.

1. Dan Girardi

Talk about another unlikely hero in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Dan Girardi was bought out by the New York Rangers after last season before the Lightning brought him on, and Tampa was laughed at for signing him to fill the hole they had on defense. Fast forward to Game 4 of the Second Round, Girardi was in the right place at the right time, found room in front of the net, and tapped home the game winning goal in overtime to give the Lightning a 3-1 series lead over the Bruins. But the goal wasn’t the only thing Girardi did tonight, his defense was exceptional all night, leading all players in blocked shots.

Highlights

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Next Game

Tampa Bay will host the Bruins in Game 5 at Amalie Arena on Sunday, May 6 at 3 p.m. ET.

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