(Photo: Bridget Samuels/) Tim Thomas' shutout of the Lightning in Game 3 of the ECF comes in at No. 8 on the list of Top-10 Bruins games of the 2011 playoffs.

The hub of hockey will be taking a look at the top 10 Bruins regular season games of 2010-11, followed by the top ten playoff games of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Today we take a look at No. 8: Eastern Conference Finals Game 3, Boston Bruins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning.

With the Eastern Conference Finals tied at one game apiece, and the series heading south to sunny Florida, the Bruins knew they had to take at least one game on Tampa’s home ice.

In Game 3 the Bruins played a perfect road playoff game in picking up the big 2-0 win.

After seeing Tampa Bay start Games 1 and 2 off with quick first period goals, the Bruins decided it was their turn to start the game off on the right foot.

Just over a minute into the game Krejci scored the opening goal. After a turnover by Tampa Bay, Bruins forward Milan Lucic found David Krejci all by himself down in front of the Lightning net. Krejci had enough time to sit down, drink a cup of coffee, and then undress Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson with a beautiful move putting the black and gold up 1-0.

Throughout the rest of the first period, and through the scoreless second period, the game went back and forth as both teams had numerous prime scoring chances, but Roloson and Bruins goalie Tim Thomas kept it a one-goal-game.

Midway through the third, another turnover by Tampa Bay would be the nail in the coffin for the Lightning. Lucic collected the loose puck and dumped into the attacking zone where Tyler Seguin would control things. The puck came loose as Seguin battled for the puck with a Lightning defensemen, the puck was loose again this time finding the stick of Michael Ryder who then found Andrew Ference at the point, Ference sent a harmless shot towards the net, that somehow trickled through the five-hole of Roloson giving the Bruins the 2-0 lead.

Thomas would stand strong throughout an intense Lightning attack to preserve the shutout, his first of the postseason.

Bruins Goal Scorers: Krejci, Ference
Lightning Goal Scorers: None

Game Notes:
The shutout was the second playoff shutout of Tim Thomas’ career.
Krejci’s goal was his fourth game-winning-goal of the postseason, which ties him with Cam Neely as the only Bruins with four game-winning-goals in one single postseason.
Game 3 was Chris Kelly’s 50^th career NHL playoff game.