Final
Bruins aim for Cup Finals spot in Game 6 against Bolts
May 25, 2011 - 3:07 PM (Sports Network) - The Boston Bruins will try to secure their first berth in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1990 when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at St. Pete Times Forum for tonight's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.The Bruins grabbed a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series on Monday by notching a 3-1 victory in Game 5 at TD Garden. Boston is now one victory away from its first trip to the Cup Finals since it lost in five games to Mark Messier and the Edmonton Oilers in 1990.
The Lightning, meanwhile, will try to use home ice to stave off elimination tonight. Tampa Bay is 4-3 as the host this postseason after going 25-11-5 at St. Pete Times Forum during the regular season.
Boston is 5-2 as the visiting team in the playoffs and had a strong 24-12-5 road record in the regular season.
Tampa showed the ability to come back from an even bigger series deficit in Round 1 of this year's playoffs. The Lightning were down 3-1 to Pittsburgh in the opening round, but won the last three games against the Penguins to take the conference quarterfinal matchup.
Whether its Boston or Tampa that wins this series they will face Vancouver in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Canucks ousted the San Jose Sharks in five games with a double-overtime win on Tuesday.
Brad Marchand scored the game-winner in the second period on Monday and Tim Thomas made 33 saves to lead Boston to the 3-1 victory.
Nathan Horton tied the game early at 1-1 in the second while Rich Peverley sealed the win with an empty-netter for the Bruins, who bounced back from Saturday's 5-3 loss which saw them blow an early three-goal lead.
"We had a tough start to this game but we were able to turn it around," said Thomas. "Tampa was able to do it in their building the other night and we showed character by turning it around in our building tonight."
Thomas was spectacular in Game 5 and made quite possibly the best save of the playoffs just over nine minutes into the third period. A shot from the high point went wide of the net, but it took a strong bounce off the boards to the left side of the net. There, Tampa's Steve Downie had a wide open net facing him, but Thomas made a desperation dive and got his stick on the puck to keep it out
Simon Gagne scored the lone goal for the Lightning, who got 17 saves from starter Mike Smith.
Smith was making the first playoff start of his career as he got the nod in place of Dwayne Roloson. Smith stopped all 21 shots he faced in Game 4 to take the win in a relief role after Roloson allowed three goals in the first 18 minutes of the game.
However, Tampa head coach Guy Boucher revealed Tuesday that he is going back to the 41-year-old Roloson for tonight's test. Roloson is 6-0 lifetime in playoff elimination games, while Smith has never played a game with his team in danger of getting bounced from the postseason.
"He was the guy that took us here and that's how I felt before last game; but like I said, I felt like it was time to give him a little breather," Boucher said of giving Roloson a rest in Game 5.
On the injury front, Tampa could be without Sean Bergenheim after he suffered an undisclosed injury in the first period of Game 5 and did not return. Bergenheim, who leads all NHLers with nine goals in these playoffs, is questionable for tonight.
The Bruins are in the conference finals for the first time since 1992 and they lost their previous two trips to this stage since their trip to the Cup Finals in 1990. Tampa wound up winning the franchise's only Stanley Cup title in 2004, when it made its only other trip to the conference finals.
- BOSTON: 4
TAMPA BAY: 5
Final
May 25 10:47 PM - Boston Goal - David Krejci (10), from Milan Lucic at 13:28.
Bruins 4, Lightning 5 3rd - 6:32May 25 10:33 PM - Tampa Bay Goal - Martin St. Louis (10), from Steve Downie at 10:15.
Bruins 3, Lightning 5 3rd - 9:45May 25 10:25 PM - Boston Power-Play Goal - David Krejci (9), from Nathan Horton at 9:46.
Bruins 3, Lightning 4 3rd - 10:14May 25 10:23 PM - Tampa Bay Power-Play Goal - Steven Stamkos (6), at :34.
Bruins 2, Lightning 4 3rd - 19:26May 25 10:08 PM - BOSTON: 2
TAMPA BAY: 3
End of 2nd
May 25 9:49 PM - Tampa Bay Power-Play Goal - Teddy Purcell (6), from Steve Downie at 13:35.
Bruins 2, Lightning 3 2nd - 6:25May 25 9:34 PM - Tampa Bay Power-Play Goal - Martin St. Louis (9), at 7:55.
Bruins 2, Lightning 2 2nd - 12:05May 25 9:22 PM - BOSTON: 2
TAMPA BAY: 1
End of 1st
May 25 8:50 PM - Tampa Bay Goal - Teddy Purcell (5), from Vincent Lecavalier at :36.
Bruins 0, Lightning 1 1st - 19:24May 25 8:15 PM - BOSTON: 0
TAMPA BAY: 0
1st Period - 20:00
May 25 8:12 PM - Beverly Woytkiw GO TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING!!!! ROLLIE ROLLIE ROLLIE!!!!
Bruins vs. LightningMay 25 1:50 AM
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