Bruins hold off Lightning 3-2
BOSTON -- Rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy had a goal and an assist, and the Boston Bruins built a three-goal lead and held off the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Boston's fifth win in its last six games also marked the first victory in goal for Tuukka Rask (19 saves) since Nov. 5. Backup Anton Khudobin played all four games of a four-game winning streak before Rask (4-8-2) returned and played in Sunday night's loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
Brad Marchand, returning from a six-game absence because of an undisclosed injury (reportedly a concussion), had two assists for Boston (11-8-4).
McAvoy, Riley Nash and Torey Krug scored to build the 3-0 lead before Andrej Sustr (first goal of the season) and Steven Stamkos (first goal in six games) answered for the Lightning, who finished a 1-3-0 road trip.
The Bruins, who matched their season high for shots in a period with 19 in the first, spent much of the third in their own end. But the Lightning could only score when Stamkos connected on the power play.
It appeared Nash's goal deflected off Sustr and Sustr's goal glanced off Nash.
Andrei Vasileskiy made 33 saves and kept Tampa Bay (17-6-2) in the game but fell to 16-4-1.
Rask, who had lost his last three starts, didn't have the toughest night but robbed Ryan Callahan with a stick save with just under three minutes remaining.
McAvoy registered his third two-point game of the season.
NOTES: The Lightning have scored a power-play goal in five straight and 10 of their last 11 games. ... In addition to getting LW Brad Marchand (concussion, six games) back, the Bruins also got a quicker-than expected return by RW David Backes. David Krejci (upper-body injury) and RW Jacob DeBrusk (upper body) were out. Backes was supposed to miss eight weeks after having some of his colon removed and made it back in 27 days. ... RW J.T. Brown (undisclosed) returned after missing three games for the Lightning. ... Tampa Bay opens a four-game homestand against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night. The Bruins visit Philadelphia and Nashville on Friday and Monday.