Little Details Hurting Bruins in Loss to Lightning

Boston's power play struggles and third-period letdown prove costly in 3-1 defeat to Atlantic Division leaders.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 3:48am

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The Boston Bruins lost 3-1 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night, as little details and power play struggles proved costly. The Bruins played a strong 5-on-5 game for the first 40 minutes, but a three-goal third period by the Lightning separated the two teams. The Bruins' power play went 0-for-4 on the night, continuing their struggles since the Olympic break.

Why it matters

The loss is a tough one for the Bruins, who had been dominant when leading after two periods this season. However, the team was still helped in the standings, as other teams chasing them also lost on Saturday. The Bruins maintain a strong position to make the playoffs, but the power play issues and inability to close out games are concerns heading into the final stretch.

The details

The Bruins outshot and out-attempted the Lightning for the first two periods, but Tampa Bay took control in the third. The Lightning scored two goals from their defensemen to take the lead. The Bruins' power play, which has struggled since the Olympic break, went 0-for-4 on the night, failing to provide the needed boost.

  • The Bruins entered the game with a 31-0-4 record when leading after two periods.
  • The game turned in the third period, with the Lightning out-attempting and out-scoring the Bruins 3-0.

The players

Marco Sturm

A Bruins player who spoke to reporters after the game, acknowledging the team's power play struggles and inability to capitalize on opportunities.

Casey Mittelstadt

The Bruins player who scored the team's lone goal in the game.

Jordan Harris

A Bruins player who played in his seventh game of the season, noting the importance of the little details this time of year.

Jeremy Swayman

The Bruins goaltender who made 20 saves in the game, ready to focus on the positives and move forward.

Andrei Vasilevskiy

The Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender who stopped all six of the Bruins' power play shots.

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What they’re saying

“We played great, we played a really, really good hockey game 5-on-5. We just, that little details now, you know, don't get the puck in. Maybe on the power play, those... hurting right now, unfortunately.”

— Marco Sturm, Bruins player

“In the past, I think power play gave us an extra boost. [One] we could've needed tonight. Unfortunately, we didn't. But those guys need to step up, too, and that second goal is huge. We had those opportunities, and unfortunately, we didn't grab it.”

— Marco Sturm, Bruins player

“They have a good PK, and obviously, I think we got to move the puck quicker, and you know, maybe trying to get too cute at times. Yeah, not our best, but we'll look at it and learn from it.”

— Casey Mittelstadt, Bruins player

“We didn't get the puck in there once or twice. We got caught, too. We didn't do it for 40 minutes. Unfortunately, it happened in the third. But yeah, those are the little details. I think that, unfortunately, it's going to cost us a few points here. That's something we have to correct and try to get better.”

— Marco Sturm, Bruins player

“I think with a team like that, they're going to sniff at every little chance that you give them. I mean, we had some good looks. That game easily could have gone the other way early. I think this time of year, those little things are so important. And you just have to stay diligent on them, and we talk about that in here, and I think we've been really mature about all that stuff for the whole year.”

— Jordan Harris, Bruins player

What’s next

The Bruins will take on the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday at 3:30 PM ET, in a game that could have playoff implications for both teams. They will then finish their road trip on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The takeaway

The Bruins' loss to the Lightning highlights the importance of attention to detail, especially on special teams, as the team heads into the final stretch of the regular season. While the Bruins remain in a strong position to make the playoffs, the power play struggles and inability to close out games are concerns that the team will need to address moving forward.