TAMPA — If anyone was going to be cheered on the road for a career achievement, it was Patrice Bergeron.
Monday night at Amalie Arena, in front of a sellout crowd of 19,092, the Bruins captain earned his 1,000th career point with a secondary assist on Brad Marchand’s goal at 15:08 of the second period.
The sequence that put the Bruins up, 4-1, started when Bergeron gained the zone with a slick delay move. It ended when Marchand grabbed the rebound of a deflected Jake DeBrusk shot, settled the puck, and unmarked by the Lightning in front, roofed it upstairs past Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.
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Brad Marchand scores and immediately swarms Patrice Bergeron — who has his 1,000th career point.
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) November 22, 2022
4-1 Bruins. pic.twitter.com/H6BgD2OtjG
Marchand immediately pointed at Bergeron, who was standing at the far post. The captain was mobbed, at first by Marchand, DeBrusk, and defensemen Brandon Carlo and Hampus Lindholm. Then the whole visiting bench emptied, surrounding their leader and bouncing in place until only DeBrusk and Marchand were left.
The trio skated to the bench, where the coaches, trainers and equipment staff raced over to pat Bergeron on the back. Bergeron, in the midst of receiving more hugs from his teammates, saluted a Tampa crowd that gave him a loud ovation.
The healthy contingent of Spoked-B supporters chanted “Bergy, Bergy,” though few in Lightning blue appeared to join in.
Patrice Bergeron just picked up his 1,000th career point, and there are a lottttt of Boston fans here who are liking it pic.twitter.com/MobAhvaBNW
— Sports by Tampa Bay Times (@TBTimes_Sports) November 22, 2022
Bergeron became the fourth Bruin to score 1,000 points, joining Ray Bourque (1,506), Johnny Bucyk (1,339) and Phil Esposito (1,012).
He also became the 94th NHLer to reach that level, the first since Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom last March.
Bergeron’s Hall of Fame credentials are sparkling. He will surely be the last Bruin to wear No. 37.
The fact that Bergeron is likely to wind up as the Bruins’ third-leading scorer — for a franchise that turns 100 years old in 2024 — while playing so away from the puck, is remarkable. It is one of the crowning feats of one of the most decorated players of his era.
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“There’s not much left to be said about Bergy and how good of a hockey player he is,” Taylor Hall said before puck drop. “As a captain and a leader, it’s been incredible to share a room with him the last couple of years. To be so strong at one end and be able to contribute 1,000 points at the other, it’s the icing on the cake for what’s been an incredible career for him. We’re all lucky to be his teammate.”
Matt Porter can be reached at matthew.porter@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyports.