Lightning defeat Bruins 5-4

[ornotna]

It's down to one game.

[Forkboy]

1. Bruins need to be reminded that a game is 60 minutes long and not 20.

[inthebrain]

2. I was shocked to see the Bruins pull out that win in Game 3

Watching that game I couldn't believe how much the refs let go in front of the net. I had to catch myself because I thought I was watching a prelockout game with all the tripping, hooking and can openers by Bruins Defenders. Really wierd how that was let go.

The officiating this season is had just been so unbalanced this season. In a lot of ways it had impacted how this NHL season is coming down the stretch. Always thought the Bruins were a good team but at the end of the day are a standard trap team. Should be honored that they have stretched it to seven against a team that's completely loaded like Tampa is. The trap team usually gets buried by a team with that much fire power that can generate scoring from three lines.

In the offseason I hope the officials get their shit together.

[Forkboy]

3. Yeah, the officiating has been really uneven this year.

Tonight's game was no exception. Some calls should have been made and weren't, and other were made that shouldn't have been. The refs are letting some of the stuff they got rid of over the last few years creep back into the game, and I hope they regroup in the offseason and take a good look at the areas they're getting lax on again.

You're right about the B's being essentially a trap team, but I think what helps them hang in there is that get scoring from all their lines as well, and they're excellent 5 on 5. They need to start declining penalties on the other team though. That PP is brutal to watch, and it's amazing they've made it this far with the worst powerplay I've seen in decades.

Not that it really matters. I think Tampa and Boston are just fighting for the right to lose to Vancouver.