Darren Raddysh scored a franchise-setting, tiebreaking goal late in the third period as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins 3-1 on Saturday, closing their seven-game homestand with a 5-1-1 record. The 28-year-old defenseman netted his 21st goal of the season with over five minutes remaining in regulation, breaking a tie with teammate Victor Hedman for the most goals by a Lightning defenseman in a single season. The victory improved Tampa Bay’s record to 48-22-6 for 102 points, while Boston fell to 43-26-8 with 94 points.
Charle-Edouard D’Astous scored the tying goal at 2:11 into the third period, recovering his own rebound to give him two goals and eight points over the past seven outings. Nikita Kucherov sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, his 42nd of the season, at 18:27. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves for Tampa Bay, while Jeremy Swayman stopped 20 shots for Boston.
Casey Mittelstadt gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 6:47 of the second period, scoring his 15th goal after Viktor Arvidsson spun and slipped a pass to the trailing forward who sped through the slot. Before the match began, the Lightning learned they had qualified for the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season with losses by the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators. Boston is now 0-2-0 on its four-game road trip and has lost both matches in Florida.
Raddysh, born February 28, 1996, in Caledon, Ontario, went undrafted but has developed into a key contributor for Tampa Bay after signing with the Lightning on July 28, 2021. He made his NHL debut on December 30, 2021, against the Florida Panthers, filling one of numerous Covid-related vacancies on the Lightning roster. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound defenseman previously played for the Chicago Blackhawks organization and New York Rangers system before finding his home in Tampa Bay.
The Atlantic Division opponents maintained tight-checking throughout the matchup, which could potentially be a first-round playoff series. Raddysh’s game-winner came on a sharp-angle shot from the bottom of the right circle that bounced in off the inside of Swayman’s right arm at 14:29. Vasilevskiy and Swayman, who fought one another on February 1 in the Stadium Series game, kept the first period scoreless despite Boston generating a power play opportunity.
Tampa Bay was outplayed in the second period, managing just five shots while Boston controlled the tempo. However, the Lightning responded with a three-goal third period to secure the victory. The win capped a successful homestand for Tampa Bay, which went 5-1-1 over seven games at Amalie Arena. Boston’s road struggles continued as they seek to solidify their playoff positioning in the competitive Eastern Conference.