Game 76 Recap: BRUINS 3 LIGHTNING 1 HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORDIE HOWE HERE'S A GORDIE HOWE HAT TRICK

Yup, for real. A Gordie Howe Hat Trick. Do you know who got it? Hint: He's 6'9." There are two other major stories here:

• The Bruins have 7 20-goal scorers, more than any other team in the league.
• Manny got a convincing win. WOOHOO!

Ok let's get this party started. Vroom vroom party starter!

First Period.

When the first starts, the Lightning come out like a team with nothing to lose...because they don't really have anything more to lose. So they get chippy. Really chippy. Former Boston Bruin Brandon Bochenski takes a hooking penalty about 4 minutes in. The Bolts kill it. The Bruins are flatter than flat. They have no momentum. Luckily, Vinny Lecavelier decides it's high time to take a hooking penalty, and then all hell breaks loose. There's a big scrum by the benches, Artyukhin goes after Krejci and then Chara decides it's time to throw down. Two really big guys have themselves a fight. Hockeyfights doesn't have the video this morning, odd. Here it is, though:

That really got the party started, though it did leave Chara in the box for 7 minutes, considering he got a roughing penalty (probably to match the hooking call). Nobody likes losing Chara for 7 minutes, but the Bruins certainly came out on fire at the next faceoff. They started playing really really well. A couple minutes later, the bruins dump it in for dump and chase. McKenna passes it around the end boards, and Savard picks it up. He throws it at the net, and Wheeler is there to nudge it in between pad and post.

GOAL!

1-0. Blake Wheeler, 20-goal scorer. Huge start.

With a little over 2 minutes to go in the first, Lucic takes a penalty for interference. I didn't see it, but I assume it was crap. About 30 seconds later, the geniuses in black and white stripes call Aaron Ward for high-sticking. Uh oh. 5-on-3 city, population Manny Fernandez. Every single Bruins fan is doing the thing where they can't look, but are secretly peeking through their fingers. Unless you're like me and too busy holding a beer and cheering for that.

Savard, Chara, and Wideman take to the ice for the 5-on-3. Savard gets it to Chara, they play some really good defense. Manny makes a couple saves, the Bruins get it out. They end up killing 1:26 of 5-on-3, and the last 20 or so seconds of the period. The Gahden is on their feet with the kill. Huge.

Second Period.

The Bruins start off on the PK at the beginning of the second, and they start off right by winning the opening faceoff and attacking. Penalty Killed.

Of course, it doesn't take long for Artyukhin to get a high-sticking penalty, and 6.5 minutes in the Bruins go on the Power Play. They set it up and start working it down low. A quick outlet pass to Ference throws all the bolts back into the box and then ference gives it back up front. Patrice gets it. Chara sneaks in on the other side and Bergeron makes a pretty pass to his Chara's tape in the crease.

GOAL!

2-0. So this is how it's supposed to go when you're playing the lightning. Awesome.

As they're announcing that goal the Bruins score another one, but it's waved off due to "goaltender interference," whatever that is. Wheeler goes to the box for two.
P.K. Axelsson gets on the ice. PKed.

Richard Petiot takes a high-sticking penalty, and I believe this is the one on Recchi. Whatever. Powerplay.

Kobasew-krejci-ference-Chara. Chara shoots a big one. Kobasew tips it. Well, he puts his stick in the way and it pops up. Kobasew's stick flies out of his hands when the Big Slovak's slapper hits it. The puck chips up and over McKenna.

GOAL!

3-0. Yeah, this is looking pretty good. Nobody think shutout now, y'hear?

Petiot is so angry about it he fights Byron Bitz. Hockeyfights: no video. Youtube.

3 Minutes later Melichar and Lucic fight. Well, I don't even know if I could call it that. Lucic one-punches melichar, hits him once more, but melichar is down after one. Hockeyfights. Youtube. Ouch for Melichar. Also, this moment in the video:

This is where he shows mercy.

And here's my favorite expression of Lucic's:

The "Oh shit what did I just do to that guy?" look.

So huge. Same as when he put Van Ryn through the glass. He's a monster.

There's a third period, and we see stamkos score his 20th goal of the season to ruin Manny's shutout.

Game.

WIN!

I know it's against Tampa, but every win from here on out is a big win.
Here's Manny after the game:

They play that way in front of everyone, Manny.

Lots of throwing it across the crease and hoping for the best in this game. Odd.

When they announcer Patrice Bergeron as the Bruins' nominee for the Bill Masterton trophy, they made the (admittedly common) mistake of calling it the Masterson trophy. You'd think they remember how to spell it from when Kessel won it in '07.

vs. TBL: 3-1-0
Record: 49-17-10 (W 4)
Home: 26-6-6 (W 2)
L10: 6-3-1
March: 7-5-1
GO BRUINS!