BOSTON — Tuesday night’s game will be Gerard Gallant’s first against the Bruins as Florida Panthers head coach, but he’s no stranger to the visitor’s bench at TD Garden.
The Panthers hired Gallant in June after he spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens. Gallant coached against the Bruins more than 15 times with the Habs, so he understands the challenges that await his young Panthers team.
“They own a lot of teams, they’re a good team,” Gallant said Tuesday after Florida’s morning skate. “You look at the last number of years, they’ve been one of the top teams in the league. You play against this team, they play hard, they’re a good hockey team.”
The Bruins are 10-2-0 against the Panthers since the start of the 2011-12 season, and that includes an active eight-game winning streak. Boston went 5-0-0 and outscored Florida 22-8 last season, the Panthers’ first campaign in the same division as the Original Six club.
“You come into Boston and you know who you’re playing against. The Big Bad Bruins,” Gallant said. “They play a hard game, they play a solid game, but they’ve got a lot of talent. It’s not just about being a physical team, they’ve got talent, they’ve got goaltending. They’re a top team in the league.”
The Panthers hope to turn the tide Tuesday night. After losing its first three games of the season, Florida has gone 4-0-2 over the last six. The Panthers rank third in goals against per game (1.9), and four of their losses have been by one goal.
“We’re playing well right now, we’re competing hard and playing well,” Gallant said. “By no means are we the Boston Bruins, but we’re getting better every game.”
Photo via Robert Mayer/USA TODAY Sports Images
