Lightning beat the Bruins 3-1 after securing playoff spot

Tampa Bay clinches Eastern Conference postseason berth with win over Boston

Apr. 5, 2026 at 12:04am

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The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins 3-1 on Saturday night, just hours after clinching a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Darren Raddysh broke a 1-1 tie late in the third period with a goal, and Nikita Kucherov added an empty-net tally to seal the victory for the Lightning.

Why it matters

The win solidifies Tampa Bay's position atop the Atlantic Division, while Boston remains in the first wild-card spot in the East. The matchup between these two playoff-bound teams provided an exciting preview of what could be a potential postseason showdown.

The details

After Casey Mittelstadt gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the second period, the Lightning responded with a goal from defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous early in the third. Raddysh then broke the tie with just over 5 minutes remaining, firing a shot past Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman from a sharp angle. Kucherov's empty-netter in the final minute provided the final margin of victory.

  • The Lightning clinched a playoff spot earlier in the day with Detroit's loss to the Rangers.
  • The game was played on Saturday, April 4, 2026.

The players

Darren Raddysh

A defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning who scored the game-winning goal in the third period.

Nikita Kucherov

A forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning who scored an empty-net goal to seal the victory.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning who made 21 saves in the win.

Jeremy Swayman

The goaltender for the Boston Bruins who stopped 20 shots in the loss.

Casey Mittelstadt

A forward for the Boston Bruins who scored the team's lone goal in the second period.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been a little tired after clinching the playoff spot earlier today, but the guys dug deep and found a way to get the win against a tough Bruins team.”

— Jon Cooper, Head Coach, Tampa Bay Lightning

What’s next

The Bruins will look to bounce back on Sunday when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers, while the Lightning will head to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Monday.

The takeaway

This hard-fought victory showcases the Lightning's resilience and ability to win close games, even after clinching a playoff spot. The Bruins, meanwhile, will need to regroup quickly to maintain their wild-card position in the Eastern Conference.