Boston Feast: Bruins 3, Florida Panthers 1

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers talked about a real rivalry taking root against the Boston Bruins following last spring’s playoff upset of the NHL’s best (regular season) team.

It certainly felt like a rivalry night on Wednesday.

Playing in front of another sellout crowd with more than a few Boston rooters in the building, the Panthers and Bruins duked it out from start to finish.

There were fights, there were big hits, there were a couple of questionable smacks.

In the end, however, Boston scored twice after Florida tied it midway through the second and took a 3-1 win back to New England.

Boston’s victory snapped Florida’s six-game home winning streak.

Both teams came correct from the start although the Panthers were on the offensive and were outshooting the Bruins 8-0 early.

Once Boston (14-1-3) got its legs cranking, it was an even battle — with the Bruins taking the first lead on a 4-on-4 breakaway finished with a Charlie Coyle backhander.

Florida (12-6-1) tied it midway through the second on a deflection from Anton Lundell.

But the Bruins ended up getting a pair of goals from John Beecher and Jake DeBrusk to take a 3-1 lead into the third.

The opening period was filled with hits and punches.

Cousins was the first to go after Charlie McAvoy — he had the high hit on Ekman-Larsson in the previous meeting — as he checked him hard into the glass along the backwall.

The two appeared to be ready to throw but the officials stopped them.

In the second, Jonah Gadjovich and Derek Forbort fought.

Linus Ullmark ended with 27 saves.

GOALS OF THE GAME

• Bruins 1, Panthers 0 (18:35, 1st 4-on-4): Charlie Coyle breaks out along the boards, walks through the zone and beats Sergei Bobrovsky high with a nice backhanded shot.
• Panthers 1, Bruins 1 (10:33, 2nd): Nick Cousins let one fly from just inside the blue line and the shot got through heavy traffic — with Anton Lundell deflecting it past Linus Ullmark.
• Bruins 2, Panthers 1 (11:14, 2nd): John Beecher got Bobrovsky to commit as he played the puck, threw up a shot toward the net and deflected the puck off a sprawled out Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
• Bruins 3, Panthers 1 (14:09, 2nd): Jake DeBrusk jammed in his own rebound through to give the Bruins their biggest lead.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE NIGHT

1. Linus Ullmark, Boston

2. Charlie Coyle, Boston

3. John Beecher, Boston

PANTHERS ON DECK

WINNIPEG JETS @ FLORIDA PANTHERS

• When: Friday, 8 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida; ESPN+
• Radio: WAXY 790-AM; WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This season — Winnipeg Leads 1-0: @Winnipeg 6, Florida 4 (Oct. 14); Friday @ Florida
• Last season: Winnipeg won 2-0
• All-time regular season series: Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets lead 53-31-8, 5 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Monday at Ottawa, 7 p.m.