TAMPA, Fla. — Replicating an emotional effort from the night before against the Florida Panthers would’ve been a difficult ask for the Boston Bruins.
But Jim Montgomery expected better, even on a second game of a back-to-back.
Wednesday’s tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second half of the Florida trip presented its share of tense moments. After all, both teams had some stakes to claim.
The Bruins needed a point to secure their eighth straight playoff appearance. The red-hot Lightning, returning from their latest west coast trip, could move within two points of the Maple Leafs for third place in the Atlantic Division.