The play that ended the game made a huge statement: The Tampa Bay Lightning can’t be bullied. In fact, they can employ some intimidation tactics of their own.
Brian Boyle of the Bolts hammered Thomas Hickey at the New York Islanders' blue line in overtime and then started a rush that ended when he found himself all alone with a loose puck at the side of the net.
Boyle's gift of a game-winner for the 5-4 victory put the Lightning ahead 2-1 in the second-round series.
“He’s everything you want at this time of year,” Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos said of Boyle on the broadcast afterward.
Of course, Boyle was all alone because the man who should have been covering him was Hickey, and he had been knocked out of the play by the hit.
Big hits—two of them—became the focus of this game and potentially the series going forward.
One was the heavy blast on Hickey courtesy of Boyle. It initially looked like the impact started on the body, but the NHL will surely review it repeatedly given the number of headshots that have already ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Steve Macfarlane
NHL Playoffs Roundup: Lightning Show They Won’t Be Bullied in OT Win over Isles
May 3rd, 2016 by Steve Macfarlane Leave a reply »
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