Final, Bruins 4-1: That’s it, and that’s all. David Krejci’s hat trick leads the way, and the Bruins roll to a 4-1 win.
Third period, 19:47, Bruins 4-1: David Krejci just added his third goal of the night for the hat trick. He did so with an empty-netter.
Third period, 16:00, Bruins 3-1: David Krejci should have a hat trick right about now. Unfortunately for him, ex-teammate Tim Thomas was not in a giving mood.
Krejci had a chance from the left wing as a bouncing puck came to him. He quickly gathered it and put it back on net, but Thomas made a sprawling save to deny Krejci of the hat trick.
Third period, 12:47, Bruins 3-1: Chad Johnson’s shutout is no more, and the Panthers are on the board.
Brian Campbell will be credited with the goal after he flipped the puck toward the net from the blue line. The puck hit Matt Bartkowski’s stick in front of the net and then trickled by goalie Chad Johnson.
Third period, 12:21, Bruins 3-0: The Bruins came close to making it 4-0, but the posts went again them this time.
Reilly Smith rang the post with a wrist shot from the left slot that beat Tim Thomas but bounced off the post.
Third period, 10:06, Bruins 3-0: The Bruins’ first line just turned in another good shift, and this one will end with Boston going on the power play.
Sean Bergenheim was just called for hooking, and the Bruins will get another crack with the man-advantage.
Third period, 6:10, Bruins 3-0: Tim Thomas has had himself a very good night, despite what the scoreboard might say.
Thomas has 29 saves and just made a real nice glove save on a Zdeno Chara slap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle.
Third period, 4:13, Bruins 3-0: Chad Johnson has been good so far, but he’s also been lucky.
Johnson was just beat twice in a bout a minute or two, but he was bailed out by the iron once again. First it was Tom Gilbert who hit the post, and Sean Bergenheim rang it just a few moments later.
Third period, 0:01, Bruins 3-0: The third period is underway.
End second period, Bruins 3-0: The second period is over, and the Bruins take the three-goal lead to the dressing room. The Bruins will have to kill off 1:54 of power-play time to open the third.
Boston is outshooting Florida 28-17 through two periods.
Second period, 19:53, Bruins 3-0: Jordan Caron is going back to the penalty box. He was just called for boarding, which means Florida gets a power play to end the period and likely to open the third.
Second period, 19:13, Bruins 3-0: That might be the back-breaker.
Milan Lucic got in on the forecheck, and he was there to lay a hit on Dylan Olsen. That caused Olsen to cough up the puck. Kevan Miller retrieved it and put it on net. Tim Thomas made the initial save, but he left the rebound right in the slot. He didn’t get any help from his D-men, and David Krejci pounced on it and ripped a wrist shot by the Panthers goalie.
Second period, 17:01, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins were not able to score on the power play. Tim Thomas made a couple of big saves during the penalty kill.
Second period, 15:01, Bruins 2-0: Torey Krug almost gave the Bruins a three-goal lead with what would have been a fluky goal. Krug just fired the puck on net from the blue line as he entered the zone. The puck hit Tim Thomas in the stomach and somehow then got through his legs where it lay in the crease behind him. The Bruins couldn’t get to the puck before the Panthers cleared the crease.
In the process, however, Drew Shore caught Krug with an elbow, and the Bruins are going on the power play.
Second period, 11:56, Bruins 2-0: Krys Barch just dropped the gloves for the second time in this one, and it was with a familiar opponent. Barch and Shawn Thornton just engaged in a lengthy and even bout.
Second period, 11:54, Bruins 2-0: Dmitry Kulikov just beat Chad Johnson with a wrist shot, but Kulikov couldn’t beat the post. His shot found iron, and the Panthers are still looking for their first goal of the game.
Second period, 9:48, Bruins 2-0: Chad Johnson hasn’t been tested a ton so far, but he’s been good when he’s had to be.
He just had to be good, and he came up with a nice combination of saves. He stopped Dmitry Kulikov and Nick Bjugstad on chances in front to keep the Panthers off the board.
The Panthers were able to get those chances in part to the fact that Zdeno Chara was playing without a stick. The stick broke under Chara’s weight as he went to stop in the corner and braced himself with his stick. He tried to kick the puck out of trouble, but the Panthers were still able to gain possession. Luckily for Boston, Johnson was able to make the saves.
Second period, 6:00, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins killed off the penalty, and the Boston PK actually looked a lot more efficient offensively than the Florida power play.
Daniel Paille had a breakaway chance that was stoned by Tim Thomas. Shortly after that, Brad Marchand almost scored after a nifty play from Patrice Bergeron to get him the puck.
The Panthers aren’t very good.
Second period, 3:37, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins’ penalty kill will have to go back to work now.
Dougie Hamilton was just called for delay of game, and the B’s PK will try to kill off another power play.
Second period, 0:01, Bruins 2-0: The second period is underway with the Bruins looking to build on a very impressive first period.
End first period, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins had another scoring chance late in the period when Milan Lucic was able to wrestle a loose puck from a Florida defenseman. Tim Thomas was able to make a point-blank save, though, and keep it a two-goal game.
The Bruins outshot the Panthers 14-7 in the first period.
First period, 15:00, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins are taking it to the Panthers, and they almost added to the lead.
Patrice Bergeron fed Brad Marchand with a centering pass, but Marchand’s shot went wide and high. He was all alone in the slot as just the latest the Bruins to get some open space in the offensive zone.
First period, 11:01, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins killed the penalty, and they added to their lead shortly after.
Jordan Caron took a pass from Jarome Iginla and put a long shot on goal from just inside the blue line. Tim Thomas made the original save, but he left a long rebound to Iginla who was coming down the right wing. Iginla quickly put the shot on goal and beat the sprawling Thomas to give Boston the 2-0 lead.
First period, 8:32, Bruins 1-0: Florida is going on the power play.
Jordan Caron was just called for tripping in the Boston end, and the Bruins will try to kill off the penalty.
First period, 7:29, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins are on the board first.
Gregory Campbell got in on the forecheck and forced Florida defenseman Tom Gilbert to turn the puck over right in front of the net. He turned it over to David Krejci, which was bad new for Tim Thomas and the Panthers. Krejci waited for Thomas to commit and then beat the goalie high.
First period, 6:46, 0-0: Tim Thomas just made an incredible save.
Patrice Bergeron was just robbed after taking a pass from Reilly Smith. Bergeron was quick to put the shot on net, but Thomas made a sprawling stick save.
First period, 6:08, 0-0: The Bruins have had the better chances early in the first period, and Chris Kelly may have had the best opportunity.
Kelly jumped on a loose puck in front of the net and tried a backhanded attempt that Tim Thomas either stopped or it hit the post.
Scottie Upshall had a similar chance at the other end on a sprawling Chad Johnson, but the Bruins goalie recovered nicely to make an impressive save.
First period, 4:26, 0-0: We’re less than five minutes in, and we’ve got our first round of fisticuffs.
Milan Lucic just dropped the gloves with Krys Barch in front of the Florida bench as the two tough guys squared off. That was a pretty even bout, although you have to wonder why a first-line winger like Lucic is fighting someone like Barch.
First period, 0:01, 0-0: And we’re off.
6:30 p.m.: The pregame warmup is underway, and as expected, Chad Johnson will start for the Bruins against Tim Thomas for the Panthers.
5:30 p.m.: Good evening and welcome to TD Garden where the Bruins and Panthers are about an hour and a half from dropping the puck.
The big news of the day is that Panthers have reportedly made a blockbuster deal. According to reports, the Panthers have acquired goalie Roberto Luongo from the Vancouver Canucks. Florida has yet to announce anything on the deal.
11:31 a.m.: The Bruins will be without Loui Eriksson tonight.
The Boston forward, who wasn’t on the ice for morning skate, will be out with what Claude Julien told reporters is a “minor issue.” Julien also said that Eriksson will be back in the lineup on Thursday against the Capitals.
Jordan Caron will be in the lineup and will take Eriksson’s place on the third line alongside Chris Kelly and Carl Soderberg.
11:30 a.m.: The Boston Bruins are in the midst of their busiest stretch of the season, and that will continue Tuesday night in home with some potentially anxious players on the ice.
The B’s will welcome the Florida Panthers to TD Garden for Boston’s third game in four days. If that’s not enough to be worried about, the B’s may also have their minds on the upcoming trade deadline. Tuesday’s game will mark Boston’s final game before Wednesday’s deadline, and while the players all say the right things, you have to wonder how much that uncertainty is on the minds of players.
The Bruins may not have to worry as much as other teams like the Panthers, though. Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli has expressed some apprehension about moving players off of his current NHL roster, which should settle the nerves of a lot guys in Black and Gold, but you never do know. The Panthers, meanwhile, could be a team that will be in the selling mode leading up to Wednesday.
On the ice, however, the Bruins are trying to build some momentum. After a slow start Sunday night in New York, the B’s bounced back to beat the Rangers 6-3 at Madison Square Garden. Now they’re going to try and build on that win and gain some momentum to begin a very busy week. The B’s have four games between Tuesday and Sunday, and three of those — including two with Florida — are against divisional opponents.
Tuesday night seems to be a night of rest for starting goalie Tuukka Rask, though. Chad Johnson was the first goalie off the ice at morning skate, which would seem to indicate that he’ll be in net for the Bruins against the Panthers.
Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 7 p.m.
