Lightning beat the Bruins 3-1 hours after securing a playoff spot

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Darren Raddysh broke a tie with 5:31 left and Tampa Bay beat the Boston Bruins 3-1 on Saturday night, hours after the Lightning secured a playoff spot.

The Atlantic Division-leading Lightning wrapped up the Eastern Conference postseason position with Detroit's 4-1 loss at the New York Rangers in the afternoon. Boston holds the first wild-card spot in the East.

After assisting on defenseman Charle-Edouard D’Astous' tying goal at 2:13 of the third, Raddysh put the Lightning ahead with a sharp-angle shot past goalie Jeremy Swayman from the right side on a break.

Nikita Kucherov added his 42nd goal of the season into an empty net, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves to help the Lightning finish a seven-game homestand 5-1-1.

Casey Mittelstadt scored for Boston in the second. Swayman stopped 20 shots as the Bruins lost their second straight on a four-game trip. They lost 2-1 at Florida on Thursday night.

Bruins: At Philadelphia on Sunday.

Lightning: At Buffalo on Monday night.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) stops a shot by Boston Bruins center Fraser Minten (93) stops a shot by during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) takes down Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous (51) knocks down Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous (51) celebrates his goal against the Boston Bruins with defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a pad save on a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Corey Perry (10) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Evgeni Malkin had his 14th career hat trick and added an assist to become the 23rd player in NHL history to reach 1,400 career points, and the Pittsburgh Penguins routed the Florida Panthers 9-4 on Saturday to eliminate the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions from playoff contention.

The Panthers began the season hoping to become the first team since the New York Islanders of the early 1980s to win three straight championships. It never came close to happening as injuries and shaky play in net sent them tumbling to the bottom of the standings early in the season, a hole from which they never fully recovered.

While Florida will miss the playoffs for the first time in four years, Pittsburgh is inching toward a return to the postseason after three straight absences.

The Penguins strengthened their hold on second in the Metropolitan Division by blitzing the Panthers during the first half of the second period, pouring in four goals in less than 10 minutes.

Anthony Mantha broke a 2-2 tie with his 31st goal of the season just 1:51 into the second. Malkin then beat Sergei Bobrovsky twice in less than three minutes to create more than enough breathing room.

Erik Karlsson had a goal and three assists for Pittsburgh. Noel Acciari and Elmer Soderblom added a goal and an assist. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby picked up a pair of assists to move past Hall of Famer and childhood idol Steve Yzerman and into seventh place on the NHL's career scoring list (1,756).

Artur Silovs stopped 19 shots for the Penguins and had little work to do after Pittsburgh chased Bobrovsky following Soderblom's third goal in 15 games since being acquired in a trade with Detroit.

The teams meet again Sunday at PPG Paints Arena in a rare back-to-back at the same venue.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) scores on Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs (37) during the first period of an NHL game, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Philip G. Pavely)

Florida Panthers goalie Daniil Tarasov (40) allows a goal from Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea during the second period of an NHL game, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Philip G. Pavely)

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Connor Clifton (75) moves the puck under pressure from Florida Panthers left wing Noah Gregor (18) during the second period of an NHL game, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Philip G. Pavely)

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgenii Malkin (71) is congratulated by right wing Rickard Rakell (67) after scoring his second goal of the game against the Florida Panthers during the second period of an NHL game, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Philip G. Pavely)

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea (5) celebratesa goal with right wing Justin Brazeau (16) and defenseman Samuel Girard (49) against the Florida Panthers during the second period of an NHL game, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Philip G. Pavely)