Bruins 3, Lightning 1
BOSTON -- Chris Kelly and Patrice Bergeron scored shorthanded goals, Kelly on a penalty shot, to lead the Boston Bruins to a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the season opener for both teams Thursday night.
The Bruins, who lost to Chicago in last season's Stanley Cup finals, killed off two lengthy two-man disadvantages, the second in the third period, when Tampa Bay took a penalty that led to Bergeron beating Anders Lindback 4:02 into the third period.
Milan Lucic, off a feed from David Krejci, scored the other Boston goal, while Valterri Filppula, who signed a five-year, $25 million free-agent contract with the Lightning during the offseason, scored to tie the game in the second period.
That was after Kelly, who took advantage of a Mark Barberio giveaway at center ice, broke in alone and was hooked by Barberio, a rookie defenseman. Kelly made several moves and slid a backhander past Lindmark.
Tuukka Rask made 32 saves for the Bruins, including several big ones during a first period that saw the Lightning outshoot Boston 15-6.
Rask capped his night with a big-time save on Ryan Malone with four minutes left in the game.
Lindmark, who was also beaten by Jordan Caron but had the goal waved off on a controversial call, did little to show he will emerge in a goaltending battle with Ben Bishop.
Filpulla, formerly of the Detroit Red Wings, played a strong game in his debut with his new team, which played a strong road game despite the final score.
Filpulla's goal came on a play that saw both Bruins defensemen, Adam McQuaid and Torey Krug, caught up ice, leaving forwards back to defend the play. Filpulla scored off a feed from defenseman Eric Brewer.
NOTES: The penalty shot was the first of Kelly's career. It marked the first time in NHL history a team scored its first goal of the season on a penalty shot, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... Boston signed D Dennis Seidenberg to a four-year, $16 million extension that begins next season. ... Tampa Bay C Alex Killorn, who played four years at Harvard, had some 20 family and friends at the game. He recorded a second-period assist. ... Bruins C Carl Soderberg was out with an ankle injury. ... RW Martin St. Louis is the ninth captain in Lightning history, replacing bought-out C Vincent Lecavalier (now with the Flyers). ... The Bruins host the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night, while Tampa Bay continues its opening three-game road trip with a Saturday game against the Blackhawks in Chicago. ... New Bruins RW Jarome Iginla, who spurned Boston to go from Calgary to Pittsburgh at last season's trade deadline, heard some boos during pregame intros. The crowd reaction changed when he had a spirited second-period fight with Radko Gudas. ... Tampa Bay went 5-2 in the preseason, Boston 6-1.
