The first period of Game 7 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins has ended with no score, but there was no lack of excitement or physical play. Both teams took the body for the entire period, putting everything on the line in this elimination game.
Tampa Bay was outshot 15-9 and did not have many strong scoring chances after the first few minutes. Their best opportunity to get on the board first came when Dana Tyrell skated up the right wing and put a low shot on goal. Tim Thomas kicked it out and the puck slid out towards Adam Hall, but Johnny Boychuk tied up Hall’s stick so he couldn’t get off a rebound shot. A couple minutes later, Eric Brewer’s shot from the right point deflected off a stick and hit Thomas in the mask, then careened into the corner.
As the period wore on the Bruins tightened up their defensive game and also got a few chances of their own. But Dwayne Roloson turned them all away, including a huge save on a Milan Lucic breakaway after a horrible lapse by defensemen Marc-Andre Bergeron and Mike Lundin.
The hard hitting has claimed one potential casualty so far. The Bruins’ Nathan Horton was hit hard by Nate Thompson in the Lightning zone, and his leg appeared to twist or wobble as he went down to the ice. He did not play the rest of the period, and it’s unsure if he will be back later in the game. Horton may be the most disliked player by Lightning fans on the entire Boston team, so not many tears will be shed if his evening is over.