The Boston Bruins fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in Tampa on Thursday night. On Friday’s Felger and Mazz program the guy’s discussed the loss and if the team needed a bit of a wake-up call.

• Audio

• 

  TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 26: Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates a goal in the third period during a game aagainst the Boston Bruins at Amalie Arena on January 26, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images )

• Do the Bruins need to upgrade anywhere?

  Felger: They need a number three guy. Brandon Carlo is the spot you need to upgrade. I wouldn’t say Carlo’s a problem, I don’t think he’s like a liability, but you should upgrade that spot. I’ve been saying it all year. That’s the spot. The Carlo-Grzelcyk area of the team, that’s where you upgrade. You want to put a big bruiser on this team?

  Mazz: No.

  Felger: A big lunkhead?

  Mazz: No. I mean, look you want to pick up a guy who you stick in every fourth game in the playoffs or something who costs you nothing? I mean, fine, I’ll take it. But it’s not a priority.

  Felger: I don’t think they got pushed around. I think they got outskated at times.

• 

  TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 26: Victor Hedman #77 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates a goal in the third period during a game aagainst the Boston Bruins at Amalie Arena on January 26, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images )

• Was Thursday night a wake up call?

  Felger: I think Tampa has been playing well and Tampa said, “we’re going to get one against you. The Bruins had beaten them like, what was it?

  Jim Murray: 5-0-1 I think since last year.

  Felger: I was going to say like six or seven straight times. And there’s a lot of great players on that team with a lot of pedigree. It’s a winning culture there. They know how to play. And they said, “we’re not, no, we’re going to get one against you”. And they played tough. They played hard. Boy did they check you closely. They were on you like stink on crap from the opening face off. And so this is another thing you’re going to see now. If you’re this kind of team and you’ve been pulverizing people, at some point, the good teams, the teams that get it, you come into town, they’re going to say, not tonight. And so that was that kind of night. Not tonight. And I don’t think they pushed you around, I think they all skated you in the second half of the third period. I think it was glaring how they outskated you in the last half of the third period. So I think it was a deserving defeat. But it wasn’t because they got pushed around.

  Mazz: Now, look, again, I always worry about the teams that start to think they’re invulnerable. You’re not. Okay, you’re not. And that’s what Tampa’s message was last night. “We can beat you. We can beat you. A lot of people can beat you. You can be beaten”.

  Felger: Stack up the rosters, Tampa might be better. It might be better. Their roster might be better. If I’m drafting defenseman, I’m taking Hedman first. If I’m drafting forwards, am I taking Kucherov, Point, and Stamkos, or am I taking Pastrnak? I don’t know it’s a debate. I’m probably taking their goalie again. Again a debate. Your guy’s been incredible this year. But that’s a really, really good team. And if they’re going to play like that, that ain’t no walkover. They might be better than you still. So maybe that is a little bit of a wakeup call. Maybe they didn’t need that.

• Listen to Felger and Mazz from 2-6 every Monday-Friday on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with hosts Mike Felger, Tony “Mazz” Massarotti, and Jim Murray “Big Jim”. You can listen live in the Sports Hub App and subscribe to their podcasts here. Follow @FelgerAndMazz on Twitter to keep up with the show!

Get The 98.5 The Sports Hub Newsletter Delivered To Your Inbox

Stay up to date with the latest Boston sports news and analysis, local events, exclusive contests, and more.

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.