Bruins Snap Three-game Losing Streak
Published on November 28 2016 6:20 am
Last Updated on November 28 2016 6:20 am
By ESPN
Jimmy Hayes had a little fun after scoring his first goal of the season.
Hayes capped Boston's three-goal second period, Tuukka Rask stopped 30 shots and the Bruins snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 on Sunday.
Hayes tipped David Krejci's pass into the top right corner late in the second. He then reached over his shoulder and motioned as if he was removing his scoring drought from his shoulders.
"It was more of a joke that it was an elephant," Hayes said when asked if he was throwing a monkey off his back. "I think I lost like 100 pounds there. It felt pretty good."
Rask lost his bid for his fourth shutout with 2:39 to play when Victor Hedman scored. But he improved to 12-4.
"Good thing I don't have a bonus for that stuff," Rask said, smiling. "That's alright, tough bounce."
David Pastrnak had his team-leading 13th goal, and David Backes and Dominic Moore also scored. Boston scored just four total goals in its previous three games.
"I think just we went back to a lot of things that we had done so well before," coach Claude Julien said. "We were throwing more pucks at the net."
Ben Bishop made 26 saves for Tampa Bay, which lost its second straight.
Julien coached his 726th game with the Bruins, tying Milt Schmidt -- the oldest living member of the Hall of Fame at 98 years old -- for second in team history.
After a listless opening period that had very few hits and less scoring chances, Boston jumped in front on Moore's goal 2:24 into the second when he whacked at a loose puck with a two-handed chopping motion and it sailed past Bishop.
Many of the Lightning's players were bothered by a weak start for the second straight game.
"We just got off to another slow start," Bishop said. "We can't wait until we're down three-nothing before we start, you know, bringing it to them."
Sunday, November 27 Scoreboard
Boston 4, Tampa Bay 1
Winnipeg 3, Nashville 0
Arizona 2, Edmonton 1
Carolina 3, Florida 2
Ottawa 2, New York Rangers 0
Philadelphia 5, Calgary 3
Monday, November 28 Schedule (All Times Central)
Calgary at New York Islanders, 6 p.m.
Dallas at St. Louis, 7 p.m.