The Bruins win over Tampa Bay in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals comes in at No. 2 on the list of the Top-10 Bruins games of the 2011 Playoffs

Bruins Daily 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. 2 : Eastern Conference Finals: Game 7, Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins.

There is nothing better than a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and that theory certainly proved to be true when the Bruins and Lightning met before a sold out TD Garden crowd. With the right to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals, the two talented teams certainly put on an entertaining show.

The game showcased three flawless periods of hockey. There were no penalties, no cheap shots, no garbage goals, just hard fought good hockey between two teams dying for the chance to play for the Stanley Cup.

The first two and a half periods went scoreless. Goalies Tim Thomas and Dwayne Roloson did everything they could to keep the puck out of the net, neither one wanting to be the guy that allowed the one goal that would result in a loss. The game had the feeling of a 1-0 win; it was just a matter of whom.

Both teams had their chances to put their team on the board, but couldn’t find the back of the net, until late in the third.

David Krejci took a pass from Andrew Ference outskated a few Lightning forwards and raced in towards Roloson. Krejci took a defensemen with him leaving Nathan Horton open, Horton came flying in and tipped in a beautiful pass from Krejci right on Roloson’s door step giving the Bruins the 1-0 lead. Horton’s goal was the only goal of the game, and the only goal the Bruins needed as they became Eastern Conference Champions for the first time since 1990.

Thomas stopped all 24 shots on goal for his second shutout of the postseason. Despite the loss Roloson was just as good as he stopped 37 of the 38 shots he saw, but the Bruins peppered him with much more difficult shots then the ones his teammates sent Thomas’ way.

Bruins Goal Scorers: Horton
Lightning Goal Scorers: None

Game Notes:
The 1-0 Bruins Game 7 win was the seventh time a Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 7 finished 1-0.

Game 7 was the first time in NHL playoff history (kept track as far back as 20 years) a playoff game has gone without a penalty.