Sturm said Thursday’s result was due to taking the two-time defending champions lightly.
“We didn’t respect our opponent tonight,” said Sturm, whose club finished 0-2-1 against Florida. “They had a lot of guys out, and we didn’t do our job. Shame on us today. … With a team like that, I don’t care who is out, they are a good structure team and played hard. We weren’t willing to do it.”
Added Morgan Geekie, who has a club-high 34 goals: “Tonight, it feels like you let everyone down. Had the opportunities.”
Get Starting Point
Can the Bruins rebound? Here’s the preview:
When: Saturday, 5 p.m.
Where: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa
TV, radio: NESN+, WBZ-FM 98.5
Line: Tampa Bay -185. O/U: 6.5.
BRUINS
Season record: 43-25-8. vs. spread: 49-27. Over/under: 42-33, 1 push
Last 10 games: 6-2-2. vs. spread: 8-2. Over/under: 7-3
LIGHTNING
Season record: 47-22-6. vs. spread: 38-37. Over/under: 38-32, 5 pushes
Last 10 games: 7-1-2. vs. spread: 6-4. Over/under: 7-2, 1 push
TEAM STATISTICS
Goals scored: Boston 253, Tampa Bay 270
Goals allowed: Boston 232, Tampa Bay 208
Power play: Boston 23.8%, Tampa Bay 21.8%
Penalty minutes: Boston 944, Tampa Bay 1078
Penalty kill: Boston 76.3%, Tampa Bay 82.0%
Faceoffs won: Boston 52.8%, Tampa Bay 47.5%
Stat of the day: David Pastrnak has 96 points (29 goals, 67 assists) and he is trying to tie Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito as the only Boston players to notch four 100-point seasons.
Notes: The Lightning (47-22-6, 100 points) moved back atop the division standings by percentage points over the second-place Buffalo Sabres … Tampa Bay clinched a playoff spot with the Rangers’ win over the Red Wings on Saturday afternoon … Anthony Cirelli clinched the victory with an empty-net goal to secure his second career hat trick … The 28-year-old Cirelli has recorded 23 goals and 29 assists in 67 matches. He slots at a plus-35 in his production … Tampa Bay owns a 24-13-1 mark on home ice and is 4-1-1 on its season-long seven-game homestand … Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (36-13-4, 2.34 goal-against average, .910 save percentage) maintained his league lead in wins over Utah’s Karel Vejmelka (34).
Cam Kerry can be reached at [email protected].
