Florida Panthers Get Right, Beat Boston Bruins Again

The Florida Panthers looked like a completely different team Monday night than they did Saturday in Buffalo — and perhaps playing the Boston Bruins had something to do with that.

The Panthers came to play against their fierce rival as the unpleasantries between the two were on display throughout the first period.

Things calmed down as the game went along — and for the second time in less than a week, the Panthers beat the Bruins, this time 4-3.

Florida is 2-2 this young season, with both wins coming against Boston.

Conversely, the Bruins are 2-2 with both of their losses to the Panthers.

The Panthers have won their past four games at the Garden — including all three games they played their in the second-round of the playoffs last year.

Sam Reinhart, playing in his 700th NHL game, scored on the power play and on the kill with Anton Lundell also scoring twice in the win.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves including 10 in the third period as Florida shut the Bruins down in the final 20 to get the win.

The Panthers, again playing without Sasha Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, led 4-3 after two.

Florida trailed 1-0 early, but closed the first on goals from Reinhart and Lundell.

Tied at 2 in the second, Reinhart gave Florida the lead for good when he made a shorthanded steal and drove the puck up the ice, scoring on a second chance in front of the net.

Lundell got his second of the day on a breakaway to make it 4-2.

The Bruins made a big push in the third, holding the puck in the Florida zone for much of it.

But a slashing penalty on David Pastrnak in the final minute with Jeremy Swayman out of the net all but ended Boston’s chances at tying the score.

Swayman, who did not have the opportunity to take a swipe at Tkachuk, did go after Reinhart in the final seconds of the game.

Florida, now 1-2 on this first road trip of the new season, play its first back-to-back on Tuesday in what should be an emotional scene in Columbus with the Blue Jackets playing their home opener and honoring the late Johnny Gaudreau in the pregame.

GOALS OF THE GAME

• Bruins 1, Panthers 0 (4:53, 1st): John Beecher deflects a shot through traffic from Mark Kastelic to give Boston its first lead against the Panthers this season.
• Panthers 1, Bruins 1 (6:37, 1st): With the Panthers and Bruins going 4-on-4, Anton Lundell puts a loose puck on Jeremy Swayman that somehow sneaks on through.
• Panthers 2, Bruins 1 (11:51, 1st PP): Sam Reinhart takes a pass from Adam Boqvist in the left circle and wrists it through.
• Bruins 2, Panthers 2 (5:08, 2nd): Brandon Carlo fires one through from the top of the right circle.
• Panthers 3, Bruins 2 (9:38, 2nd SH): Reinhart steals the puck in the defensive zone, brings it up — and ends up picking off a loose puck in front of Swayman and pounding it home.
• Panthers 4, Bruins 2 (12:59, 2nd): The Panthers catch the Bruins in a line change with Lundell getting the puck all alone in the offensive zone and rifles one past Swayman.
• Panthers 4, Bruins 3 (14:07, 2nd): Defenseman Mason Lohrei takes off from the point and picks his spot above Sergei Bobrovsky’s shoulder.

GR’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Sam Reinhart, Florida
• 2. Anton Lundell, Florida
• 3. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida

ON DECK: GAME NO. 5

FLORIDA PANTHERS AT COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

• When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Nationwide Arena; Columbus, Ohio
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/Fort Lauderdale); WHDT 9 (West Palm); LAFF 36.3 (Naples/Fort Myers)
• Streaming: Panthers+; ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• This Season — At Florida: March 6. At Columbus: Tuesday; March 20.
• Last Season (Panthers Won 3-0) — At Florida: Panthers 5, Jackets 4 OT (Nov.6); Panthers 4, Jackets 0 (Ap. 11). At Columbus: Panthers 5, Blue Jackets 2 (Dec. 10)
• All-time Regular Season Series: Columbus leads 26-20-4
• Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday vs. Vancouver Canucks, 7 p.m. (Local TV)