Bruins Sent Panthers Message With Haymaker-Tossing Ending To Game 2

The Boston Bruins endured an ugly 6-1 defeat in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers Wednesday night.

Despite uncompetitive second and third periods, in which Florida scored six unanswered goals, Boston went out (literally) swinging. In the third period, a combined 12 players were prematurely ejected, including six Bruins — Pat Maroon, Justin Brazeau, Trent Frederic, Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, and David Pastrnak. The dozens of strikes thrown by Boston didn’t help its scoreboard deficit cause, but it did send a message.

Pastrnak dropped the gloves with Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk after being challenged, which earned some locker room approval after the loss.

“These are two teams that are rivals,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “We played each other last year, playing each other this year and it’s gonna be a series. What I’m really proud of, I’m proud of Pasta. ‘Cause there’s so many guys out there pushing after whistle and linesmen are there. Pasta-Tkachuk, they just went out there and fought. That’s what you like. You like your hockey players to be competitive.”

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Message delivered: the Bruins don’t intend to get beaten down without a willingness for an outbreak of fisticuffs.

The Bruins and Panthers were extremely physical from start to finish, combining for 146 hits and 158 penalty minutes. It was, by far, the most untamed stretch of playoff hockey Boston’s undergone thus far, and could set the tone for what both sides should expect come Game 3 on Friday night.

But aside from the final brawl-inciting moment of the third period, the Bruins were completely outperformed, dragged to the point where a comeback wasn’t within reach. The Panthers dominated when it mattered most.

“We didn’t have juice tonight,” Montgomery added, per NESN.

Boston went 0-for-3 on power play opportunities while Jeremy Swayman’s red-hot postseason stretch (229 saves, .942 save percentage in eight games) reached its end. Swayman was charged with surrendering four goals while Linus Ullmark, who took over in front of Boston’s net in the third period, allowed the final two — re-opening the Bruins goaltender discussion.

“It was one of those games,” Pastrnak explained, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “Like I said, you have short memories after wins in (the) playoffs, you have to have it after these kinds of games too. We’re going back home and we have to focus on Game 3.”