Florida Panthers
Attention Getter: Florida Panthers Visit Bruins After Dropping Two Straight
The Florida Panthers have dropped their first two road games for a second straight season, but can jumpstart this four-game trip in a hurry this afternoon when they visit the Boston Bruins.
Florida earned its lone win of the season by beating the Bruins 6-4 in its emotional opener last Tuesday; Conversely, Boston sustained its only loss against the Panthers last week.
Today’s game starts at 1 p.m.
The Panthers have had mixed results on their first road trip of the season.
Thursday in Ottawa, the Panthers went down 2-0 but controlled the game in the second half and were down 2-1 when Sergei Bobrovsky left the net.
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The Panthers came up short in finding the tying goal, however, as Sasha Barkov snapped his stick then got hurt sliding to try and block the puck and ended up crashing into the boards at full speed.
Saturday, playing without Barkov and a sick Matthew Tkachuk, Florida took the initial lead on Nate Schmidt’s first goal with his new team but ended up chasing the host Sabres the rest of the way in a 5-2 loss.
Tkachuk should be back in the lineup today.
Florida, of course, will not be at full strength minus Barkov but should be laser-focused against the rival Bruins.
The Bruins, we know, will bring their A-Game against the Panthers.
Jeremy Swayman, who is 2-0, should be in net today after backup Joonas Korpisalo opened against the Panthers last week.
“We have to get back to the opening night against Boston,” said Adam Boqvist, who left Tuesday’s game after getting struck above his mouth with a clearing pass in the first period.
“The intensity was there. I haven’t played too many games here, but watching the playoffs last year, you know how the Florida Panthers play hockey — and it’s not fun to play against. We have to get back to that tomorrow. … These are the kind of games you want to play in, this is what you strive for.”
The Panthers are not about to mash any panic buttons just yet.
The season, after all, is in its infancy and the Panthers are still trying to work in a number of new players.
As television voice Steve Goldstein noted during Saturday’s broadcast, nine of the 20 players Florida dressed Saturday did not play for the Panthers during their run to the Stanley Cup.
Florida is not the only top team off to a slow start: Edmonton, Nashville, Vancouver, and Colorado have yet to win a game.
“We have what we need in this room,” Schmidt said after the loss in Boston. “It sucks not having your two best players, but we know what’s here. It is time for guys to pick up the slack where they can. Those two guys are irreplaceable, but we have the guys who can replicate what we do as a group.”
ON DECK: GAME NO. 4
FLORIDA PANTHERS AT BOSTON BRUINS
- When: Monday, 1 p.m.
- Where: Boston Garden
- Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/Fort Lauderdale); WPTV 5/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 (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Florida: Panthers 6, Bruins 4 (Oct. 8); Jan. 11. At Boston: Monday; March 11.
- Last Regular Season (Bruins Won 4-0) — At Boston: Bruins 3, Panthers 2 OT (Oct.30); Bruins 3, Panthers 2 OT (Ap. 6). At Florida: Bruins 3, Panthers 1 (Nov. 22); Bruins 4, Panthers 3 (March 26).
- All-time Regular Season Series: Boston leads 64-38-7, 6 ties
- All-time Postseason Series: Florida leads 3-0 (1996 1st, 2023 1st, 2024 2nd)
- Up Next for the Panthers: Tuesday at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. (Local TV)
