LIGHTNING

message: “We need you on the ice, we need you playing. If part of his M.O. is to annoy people, find a different way to annoy them. Preferably by scoring some goals, that would be the best way.”

Afterward, Marchand shrugged off a question about his discussion the previous day with NHL senior vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell.

“It is what it is,” Marchand said. “I think it’s pretty stupid, the whole situation, but if that’s what they want to do, it’s what they want to do.”

The Lightning once again did a good job of containing Boston’s top line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Marchand. Although the trio combined for 23 points in the series (seven goals, 16 assists), about half that production (11 points) came in the Bruins’ 6-2 win in Game 1.

Bergeron and Charlie McAvoy assisted on Krejci’s goal, but Vasilevskiy came up big against the high-scoring line with four huge saves — one on Bergeron’s point-blank shot — in the closing minutes while Tampa Bay was killing off Boston’s last power-play opportunity.

The Bruins scored five goals over the final three games of the series, four of them on the power play and one short-handed.

“You can’t rely on special teams every night to win games,” Marchand said. “They help for sure, but you have to be able to produce 5-on-5.”

NOTES

Bruins RW David Backes left the ice after taking a hard hit from Miller with just under eight minutes remaining in the second period. He did not return . ... The Lightning improved to 5-1 in Game 5s when holding a 3-1 series lead . ... Boston played without D Torey Krug, who injured his left ankle during Game 4. Nick Holden took over Krug’s spot, making his first appearance since Game 3 of Boston’s opening-round series against Toronto.