FINAL SCORE: Tampa Bay Lightning 3, Boston Bruins 1
IN BRIEF: Is this 2018 all over again?
The Lightning carried the momentum of their 7-1 Game 3 rout into Game 4 of their second-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Bruins, scoring the first three goals Saturday to cruise to a 3-1 win and take a commanding 3-1 series lead after dropping the series opener.
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Ondrej Palat struck first with a goal midway through the first period, then added his second goal of the game at the 12:29 mark of the second frame. Victor Hedman's power play goal with under two minutes to play in the second period was the back-breaker for Boston, which now has been outscored 10-2 over its last two games.
Series: 3-1 Lightning
HIGHLIGHTS
The Lightning would have had an earlier lead if not for this beauty of a save by Bruins goaltender Jaroslav Halak.
A brutal turnover by the Bruins and a defensive breakdown in front of the net led to Palat's first goal.
Anthony Cerelli set up Palat for a beauty of a one-timer that whistled past Halak's extended glove in the second period to give Tampa Bay a two-goal lead.
Nick Ritchie earned a five-minute major penalty for this ugly hit on Yanni Gourde, who remained on the ice for some time before slowly skating off.
The Lightning capitalized on the penalty thanks to a little puck luck when Hedman's shot from the blue line deflected off Ondrej Kase's skate and looped over Halak to make it 3-0.
Jake DeBrusk's power play goal in the third period was too little too late for the Bruins.
UP NEXT
The Lightning can send the Bruins packing in Game 5, which begins Monday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. ET.