Panthers Beat Bruins; Will face Rangers in Round 3 – Hockey Writers – NHL News
The Florida Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins to return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive season. Also, it's the second straight season that the Bruins' season ended with a loss to the Panthers.
The first half was dominated by the Panthers but in the end it fell in favor of the Bruins with a backhand goal by Pavel Zacha, which gave them the lead with less than a minute left. When they were leading but it didn't last long the Panthers came out firing to start the second half. After some scoring opportunities, Anton Lundell found a loose puck to tie the game at one.
Lundell has been a star for the Panthers in the playoffs thus far, providing a top-notch offense and stellar defense. Since he is expected to receive a new contract this offseason, he may have earned more money due to his play.
The third period was a classic playoff game, back and forth between the two sides. The Panthers' power play was cut short by Evan Rodrigues who tripped. On Boston's shortened power play, Alexander Barkov may have saved the game for Florida by blocking David Pastrnak's shot on an open net. Barkov went to the locker room with a left injury following the substitution but returned in the final 1:26.
With two minutes to go, Gustav Forsling scored a goal that put Florida up 2-1. The Bruins tried to tie the game as time expired but failed to beat Sergei Bobrovsky.
Boston may have been eliminated, but Jeremy Swayman continued his dominance, stopping 26 of 28 shots. After disastrous performances in Games 2 and 3, Swayman returned to his dominant form, setting himself up well to earn big contract money this summer.
Related: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Hub
Bobrovsky continued to shine in this series. After allowing four goals on 28 shots in a Game 1 loss to Boston, Bobrosvky dominated, keeping Boston's top scorers off the score sheet. As his playoff journey continues, expect his play to only improve as he chases his first Stanley Cup.
The defensive structure played a big role in this game, with both teams cutting down the most dangerous chances in their area. Boston's top chances were around the net, but they didn't appear to be many elsewhere. Outside of Lundell, Florida's top players failed to capitalize on their most dangerous opportunities.
News and notes
Zacha opened the scoring in Game 6. The Bruins now have a 36-27-1 all-time record when scoring first in potential elimination games and a 24-15-1 record when doing so at home.
Zacha's goal was the first of his postseason career and became the fifth Bruins player in the last 10 years to do so in the playoffs. Others: Curtis Lazar (Game 6 of 2022 Round 1), Karson Kuhlman (Game 6 of 2019 Stanley Cup Final), Danton Heinen (Game 7 of 2018 Round 1) and Sean Kuraly (Game 5 of 2017 Round 1).
The Panthers have recorded two comeback victories in potential series-winning games in franchise history: the 2022 first round at the Washington Capitals and the 2023 first round at Boston.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice will look to return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight time as Florida's head coach. He is also seeking his first Stanley Cup as a head coach.
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