Pastrnak and Bruins baffled by nullified overtime goal in loss to Lightning

David Pastrnak thought he had sealed a dramatic victory for the Boston Bruins in overtime against the Tampa Bay Lightning during Sunday’s Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium. Instead, his apparent game-winner was waved off due to a slashing penalty, leading to confusion and frustration across the Bruins’ bench. The Lightning capitalized in the shootout, winning 6-5 after a wild night of penalties and comebacks.[1][2]

The sequence unfolded in 3-on-3 overtime with the score tied at 5-5. Pastrnak received a pass from Marat Khusnutdinov, deked past Andrei Vasilevskiy, and celebrated what seemed like the winner at 4:38. Referee Jon McIsaac called a slash on Pastrnak against Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser moments earlier, nullifying the goal and sending Pastrnak to the box.

The overtime confusion unfolds

Play had been proceeding on a delayed penalty call, with Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman even starting toward the bench for an extra attacker. No whistle sounded as Boston gained possession and transitioned up ice. McAvoy, on the ice, skated alongside the referee, whose arm was raised, assuming the call was against Tampa Bay.

“We go down with the puck, so I was like, ‘Oh, it’s on them.’ Sway made it halfway to the bench and then he just blew it dead,” McAvoy said postgame. The lack of an audible whistle left the Bruins skating freely, only for the play to be stopped after Pastrnak’s shot crossed the line.

Pastrnak expressed disbelief: “I have no clue what happened, honestly. It’s a freaking turnover. We got a 2-and-1. A referee has an arm up and is letting it go. Sway is going to the bench. We finish the play, score a goal and all of a suddenly I’m in the penalty box. So [it’s a] joke.”

Even Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, defending the play, admitted the weirdness. “I didn’t really know what was going on but I was like, ‘Dang, I got to take a two on one here.’ Thank God it was a penalty,” Hagel laughed.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper noted his bench heard the whistle clearly, despite the Bruins’ confusion. “We clearly heard on the ice on our bench. I thought they just shot it in the net rudely, but clearly nobody heard the whistle. But it had gone.”

Bruins’ penalty woes derail the game

The overtime drama capped a game filled with officiating frustrations for Boston. The Bruins took 10 minor penalties to Tampa Bay’s 5, handing the Lightning multiple power-play chances. Tampa scored three power-play goals, including two on 5-on-3 advantages set up by Nikita Kucherov from Darren Raddysh and Nick Paul.[2]

Ignoring goalie fights involving Swayman and Vasilevskiy, Boston drew six minors in the second period alone. Tampa Bay trailed 5-1 early but clawed back, entering the third down by one.

McAvoy pinpointed the turning point: “It just killed our momentum. It just killed the game really. It was a good game, I think, before that. And then we were in the box for that whole period.”

Here’s a breakdown of key penalties impacting the game:

• Bruins: 10 total PIM, including multiple hooking, tripping, and interference calls.
• Lightning: 5 PIM, fewer opportunities but efficient on power plays.
• Power-play efficiency: Tampa Bay converted 3 of 7; Bruins 0 of 4.

Coach Marco Sturm acknowledged the discipline issues: “I don’t blame them. It always comes back to us and if you give a guy like Kucherov 10 minutes on the power play, then we did something wrong.”

Reactions from both sides

Pastrnak didn’t hold back: “I’ve never seen something like that. So to me, it was [a] joke. I don’t care if that’s a bad answer, but that’s how I feel. Score a goal and end up in the penalty box.”

The shootout added insult, with Pastrnak’s final attempt clanging off the iron, allowing Jake Guentzel’s goal to clinch it for Tampa. Full boxscore details are available here.[2]

Lightning players and staff showed sympathy mixed with relief. Hagel’s backcheck nearly foiled the 2-on-1, but the penalty call saved them.

The Stadium Series atmosphere amplified the chaos, with the crowd unsure until the whistle. ESPN’s full recap captures the night’s highs and lows here.[3]

Implications for Bruins moving forward

This loss stings for Boston, dropping two points in a tight Atlantic Division race. Discipline remains a concern, especially against skilled power plays like Tampa’s.

Sturm emphasized self-accountability: “We all have good days. We all have bad days. I have to look at some other calls. I know some of them were not in our favor… but we do have to do a better job.”

The NHL’s rules on delayed penalties are clear—play stops when the penalized team gains control—but communication breakdowns like this raise questions. Expect video reviews and potential clarifications from the league.

For Pastrnak, it’s a bitter end to a strong effort. His frustration echoes broader Bruins’ sentiments on officiating.

The Bruins must regroup quickly, tightening penalty killing and on-ice smarts. This game serves as a reminder: in high-stakes outdoor matchups, every detail counts. Boston’s resilience shone in the comeback attempt, but execution in crunch time decides standings. Fans await how they bounce back in the playoff push.