• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Lightning top Bruins in shootout in regular-season finale

Apr 12, 2015 - 5:45 AM Tampa, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Victor Hedman had the lone goal of the shootout to send Tampa Bay to a 3-2 win over Boston in the regular-season finale, on a night the Bruins were eliminated from playoff contention.

The Lightning (50-24-8) finished with a franchise-record 108 points and as the second seed in the Atlantic Division, just behind Montreal (110 points).

Tampa Bay will play Detroit in the first round of the playoffs.

"Pretty remarkable to think what that group's accomplished this year," said Lightning head coach Jon Cooper. "We've got a few days here to get prepared for Detroit, but they should sit back and reflect on what they've accomplished."

The Bruins (41-27-14) were ousted from a shot at making the postseason when Pittsburgh won at Buffalo, 2-0, Saturday night. The Penguins nabbed the final wild card in the Eastern Conference, ending Boston's seven-year playoff run.

Jonathan Marchessault and Nikita Nesterov scored, while Ben Bishop made 36 saves for Tampa Bay, which won its final three contests. The Lightning won 10 of their last 12 home games and finished with a franchise-record 32 home victories, most in the NHL this season.

Loui Eriksson and Brad Marchand lit the lamp for the Bruins, who received 23 saves from Tuukka Rask. Boston, which missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2007, lost its last three games.

"It's disappointing. Not just this trip, but the whole season," said Eriksson. "It was a lot of ups and downs - no reason to make any excuses."

Rask was pulled for an extra attacker and the move paid off when Marchand sent a loose puck under the legs of a fallen Bishop with 1:06 remaining.

Bishop stopped Ryan Spooner with a glove save nearly two minutes into the OT. Spooner hit the post a short time later. Marchand's shot in front was snuffed by the glove of Bishop with 1:10 left.

In the second round of the shootout, Hedman's shot deflected off the glove of Rask and found the back of the net. Eriksson had a chance to extend the game, but his backhand try was stopped by Bishop, who went 27-6-1 on home ice.

Tampa Bay center Vladislav Namestnikov was helped off the ice to the locker room after taking a check to the head from Adam McQuaid with 6:47 left in the first period.

The Bruins had a pair of power play chances in the first period, but Bishop turned aside all 10 shots he faced.

Namestnikov returned in the second period when the Lightning went on top thanks to Marchessault's first NHL point at the 5:08 mark. Marchessault took advantage of a turnover in Boston's zone and scored on a right circle shot that beat Rask high to the short side.

Eriksson successfully deposited a deflection in front just 52 seconds later to tie the game.

With Namestnikov in the penalty box for tripping, Rask stopped Brian Boyle on a shorthanded breakaway attempt early in the third period.

The Lightning, though, went ahead with 14:48 left when Nesterov sent the puck from above the left circle and into the net, past a screened Rask.

Game Notes

Rask played in his 70th game of the season, which ties a franchise record, last accomplished by Ed Johnston in 1964-64. The mark is equaled by Jack Gelineau and Jim Henry ... The Lightning were trying to capture a division title for the first time since 2004 when they won their only Stanley Cup ... Bishop finished the season with 40 wins, the most in Lightning history.