Bruins Vs. Lightning, Game 3: Tim Thomas Perfect In 2-0 Boston Win

Bruins Vs. Lightning: Boston Uses Full Team Effort To Earn Game 3 Victory, Series Lead

It wasn't just Patrice Bergeron. Or David Krejci. Or Tim Thomas. Or Claude Julien. No, the entire Boston Bruins team put in a combined effort on Thursday night as they took a 2-1 series lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Bruins Vs. Lightning, Game 3: Patrice Bergeron Returns, Gives Boston Upper Hand

Patrice Bergeron didn't show any symptoms of a concussion on Thursday night. The Bruins forward, perhaps the most vital two-way player on the team, returned to the lineup for Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and looked as though he only benefited from the nearly two weeks of rest he received. 

Bergeron's the guy that does every little thing well. He plays in both ends, he can be used on special teams, he's a great faceoff man and he's the leading point-getter for the B's in these playoffs, despite missing two games. 

He contributed all of that in Game 3. He couldn't get on the scoreboard, but he did put two shots on goal. Bergeron also won 64 percent of the faceoffs that he took and had more ice time than any other Bruins forward. 

If only returning from a concussion was this easy all the time. With Bergeron back and seemingly at 100 percent, and the B's not holding a 2-1 series lead over the Lightning, the upper hand in the Eastern Conference Finals has clearly shifted Boston's way. 

Read more on the Eastern Conference Final at our Lightning vs. Bruins series hub. Get local coverage on the Bruins at SB Nation Boston and Stanley Cup of Chowder. Get local coverage on the Lightning at Raw Charge and SB Nation Tampa Bay.

Bruins Vs. Lightning Final Score: Boston Takes 2-1 Series Lead With Shutout Win, 2-0

Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas pitched a shutout, saving 31 shots en route to a 2-0 win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NHL playoffs. Boston struck quick, putting a goal on the board one minute into the first period and holding the Tampa Bay Lightning off down the stretch to take the win. An insurance goal in the third gave Thomas plenty of cushion, though all he needed was that early, first period goal.

David Krejci got the scoring started for the Bruins' in the first period with his quick goal. Milan Lucic and Johnny Boychuk were credited with the assists. In the third period, it was Andrew Ference with the insurance goal, putting the Bruins on top, 2-0,with what turned out to be the final margin of victory. Michael Ryder and Chris Kelly were given assists on Ference's goal.

The series continues on Saturday in Tampa Bay as the Lighting host the Bruins in Game 4. With a 2-1 series lead, the Bruins are in control and have a chance to take a commanding lead with a Game 4 win in Tampa Bay.

Visit Raw Charge for more on the Lightning, and head over to Stanley Cup of Chowder for more on the Bruins.

Bruins Vs. Lightning Score: Boston Keeps 1-0 Lead After 2nd Period

After two periods of play, the Boston Bruins maintained their 1-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning. David Krejci's goal just over a minute into the first period remains the difference-maker so far.

Patrice Bergeron's return to the ice for the Bruins has provided an instant impact, though it won't show in goals or assists. However, he has gotten two shots on net in 12-plus minutes on the ice. He has also won 11 of 16 faceoffs.

The teams reversed their shots this period, with Boston making 12 and Tampa Bay just six. Boston's Tim Thomas has 16 saves on the night, while Dwayne Roloson has made 19 saves on 20 total shots. Neither team has been able to capitalize on the power play, both teams going 0-for-2 in the period.

Visit Raw Charge for more on the Lightning, and head over to Stanley Cup of Chowder for more on the Bruins.

Bruins Vs. Lightning, Game 3: Early Krejci Goal Puts Boston Up 1-0 After One Period

For the first time in this Eastern Conference Final series, the Boston Bruins have scored the first goal of the game. They got an early tally from David Krejci a little more than a minute in to give Boston a 1-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The teams have played one period in this Game 3 at St. Pete Times Forum with each having taken a game apiece in the series. 

After the first two periods of Game 2 saw goals in both the first and last minutes of the frame, it was of little surprise that an early goal led off Game 3. David Krejci was in front guarded by Victor Hedman while Milan Lucic was playing the puck out of a scrum in the corner. Hedman left his man in front to go chase the puck in the corner. Lucic found Krejci with no skater anywhere near him right alone in front of Dwayne Roloson. Krejci faked forehand, then went to his backhand and shelfed it to make it 1-0 Bruins. It was Krejci's seventh of the post-season at 1:09. 

The Bruins got two power play opportunities the rest of the period, and controlled much of the play (despite getting out-shot in the first period, 10-7), but were unable to cash in anything else. This was largely due to the Lightning getting their defense in order, but Roloson stepped up after a goal he really didn't have a chance on. Tim Thomas has been stellar in goal for Boston. 

Bruins Vs. Lightning, Game 3: Patrice Bergeron Returns As Boston Looks To Take Series Lead

After two wild games in Boston that combined for 18 goals and a split series, the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning head south to Florida, as both teams look to gain a pivotal edge in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals. Tonight the clubs meet for Game 3 at the St. Pete Times Forum, with the series tied at a game apiece. A sweep of these next two games by either team would almost certainly guarantee victory in the series, and the right to play for the Stanley Cup. 

In what could be game-changing news for Boston, the Bruins will, in all likelihood, get center Patrice Bergeron back in their lineup tonight. Bergeron was thought by many to be the team's best player throughout the first two rounds of the post-season, until a hit from Claude Giroux gave him a mild concussion. The Bruins had a long layoff between rounds two and three, but Bergeron still missed Games 1 and 2 at TD Garden. Shawn Thornton is expected to come out of the lineup as Bergeron's replacement, Tyler Seguin, was stellar in the first two games. 

Despite the win in Game 2, head coach Claude Julien isn't satisfied with how the team has played in their own end, saying "I think we just gotta get back to playing our game. And the first game I don't think was bad. Again, we talked about those three quick goals were goals that I felt we just got sloppy, gave them away. It wasn't necessarily how it was structured. The second game, we were pretty good the first period, and when we took that lead it kind of opened up the play, and when you open up the play, it opened up the play for us as well. And we got more chances."

Forward Dana Tyrell may return to the lineup for Tampa Bay this evening, as Guy Boucher deemed him "ready to go" this morning. Dwayne Roloson will be in goal for the Lightning after a nightmare five-goal second period from Boston got him pulled for Mike Smith. 

That second period was much discussed by Guy Boucher, who feels that his team has won five of the six periods played in this series. "You know, we lost a game in Boston," he said, "If you were to tell us that before going there we would win one of the two, I think anybody would have taken it, but now since that's the last game we've played, it's the weird thing. If you lose the first one, win the second one against Pittsburgh - that's how it was. We lost the first one, won the second one, everything was great coming back home and people say we've got momentum. We lost the two after that."

We'll be around this evening with updates. Enjoy Raw Charge and Stanley Cup of Chowder for more local coverage. Enjoy the game.