BOSTON — The Bruins are back in the playoffs after a two-year absence.
Tuukka Rask continued his late-season surge, making 28 saves for his second shutout in four starts in leading Boston to its sixth straight win, a 4-0 victory on Tuesday night over the Tampa Bay Lightning that clinched the playoff berth with two games remaining.
All that’s left for the Bruins is to determine whether they will be second or third in the Atlantic Division or in the second wild card spot. Boston hosts the Ottawa Senators Thursday and the Washington Capitals — both potential first-round opponents — Saturday.
But the victory could have been costly for Boston. Brad Marchand was ejected in the first period for spearing Jake Dotchin in the groin. Marchand, a 39-goal scorer, received a major and game misconduct and faces league discipline which could result in his seventh suspension. He was also fined the maximum $10,000 for an incident, also involving the Lightning, earlier this season.
The loss put the short-handed Lightning on the brink of playoff elimination as they saw a five-game road winning streak stopped and suffered their first regulation loss in their last seven games overall.
The six-game winning streak is Boston’s longest since a 12-gamer in 2014.
Rask, who pitched his eighth shutout of the season and the 38th of his career, won his fourth straight since being called out by interim coach Bruce Cassidy for his play in Tampa Bay’s 6-3 victory at TD Garden on March 23. He allowed three goals in the four games.
David Pastrnak scored his 33rd and 34th goals of the season, Drew Stafford netted his first in 12 games and Zdeno Chara scored a power play goal. David Krejci had two assists.
Boston, 18-7-0 under Cassidy, dominated in the faceoff circle, with Patrice Bergeron winning all 17 of his draws.
Dotchin, in obvious pain, was able to return in the second period, important because his team was already playing a man short from the start of the game.
Andrei Vasilievskiy played well and made 34 saves with Pastrnak’s second goal going into an empty net.
NOTES: Tampa Bay C/captain Steven Stamkos still wasn’t quite ready to return from the knee injury that caused him his 62nd straight game, but would not rule out playing again this week. “As long as we’re still in the mix, I consider it worth it,” he said. “We’re in the mix, a big one tonight. We’ll see.”… D Jason Garrison, who returned Sunday after missing four games with a lower-body injury but played only two periods, was a scratch for the Lightning as was C Gabriel Dumont, whose wife was giving birth. His sudden departure left his team a player short in the game — the second time in four games that has happened. D Luke Witkowski moved to forward. … The Bruins, who signed F Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson out of Boston University on Sunday, were still waiting for immigration paperwork before he could report. … Tuesday night was Brad Marchand Bobblehead Night
Devils 1, Flyers 0
NEWARK, N.J. — John Moore scored 59 seconds into overtime to give the New Jersey Devils a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night at Prudential Center.
Taylor Hall set up the goal on a two-on-one chance. He skated with the puck down the left wing and made an elevated pass across to Moore, who one-timed it for the victory.
Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid stopped 35 shots in the shutout. Flyers goaltender Steve Mason made 26 saves.
The Flyers were playing their first game since being eliminated from playoff contention Sunday.
Through two scoreless periods, it was an unexpected goaltending duel between Mason and Kinkaid.
Kinkaid made 26 saves in the first 40 minutes, but perhaps his best stop was when a puck was fired from behind the net off teammate Travis Zajac and nearly into the net. Kinkaid was in good position to absorb the unintentional scoring chance.
The Devils had fewer great chances — Mason stopped an exhausted Taylor Hall on a partial breakaway in the second period — but Stefan Noesen was turned aside from the slot late in the first period.
Valtteri Filppula nearly scored the first goal midway through the third period when he got around the Devils defense, but Kinkaid made a diving poke check. Then Wayne Simmonds had his follow-up deflected into the netting.