Boston Bruins: 3 keys to locking down the Lightning in game 3

By Sam Minton | May 2, 2018

TAMPA, FL - APRIL 30: Charlie McAvoy #73 and Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins talk during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on April 30, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

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Boston Bruins /

Playing smarter

The Bruins made way too many mistakes on Monday night. All across the ice there were mistakes made. Let’s start in the offensive zone.

Patrice Bergeron is probably the best faceoff taker in the history of the NHL. In these last two series something has been up with him.

I don’t think it is “Bergy’s” fault, but he needs to be smarter in the circle. He is a supreme talent at winning faceoffs so he doesn’t need to be pulling out all the stops in the circle. He just needs to fight hard once the puck is dropped. I think this is more on the zebra’s than Bergeron, but if he is smarter in the circle he will hopefully not get kicked out as much.

Now in the defensive zone the Bruins are playing too loose with the puck. Brad Marchand had a horrible turnover, and the Bruins are still struggling to get the puck out of the zone. The Bruins need to limit Tampa’s time in the zone if they want to win. I want Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos out of the zone as quick as possible.

Finally Tuukka Rask. Buddy, what happened? On the Lightning’s go-ahead goal halfway through the 2nd period, Rask was horribly out of position. You can’t be that far off on a shot. Don’t get me wrong Rask had a great game. He single-handedly kept the Bruins in the game, but that can’t happen.

If the Bruins want to win they are going to need a lights-out performance from Rask.

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