Panthers Drive By Bruins In Game 2

     The Florida Panthers dropped the Boston Bruins 6-1 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Amerant Bank Arena on Wednesday night. The best-of-seven series is now tied at 1-1. Game 3 will be on Friday in Boston. 

     Boston took a 1-0 lead with 7:48 remaining in the first period. Pavel Zacha picked up the loose puck at the top of his own zone and pushed it ahead. Brad Marchand angled a pass from the inner left circle and Zacha backhanded it from the right of the crease across. Charlie Coyle placed in a forehand shot from the left side of the crease by Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal of the playoffs.

     Florida tied it 1-1 at the 1:56 mark of the second period. Brandon Montour released a shot from the right point and Steven Lorentz deflected it from the low slot past Jeremy Swayman for his second tally of the postseason. 

     The Panthers pulled ahead 2-1 at 9:49 of the second. Aaron Ekblad kicked the puck from the left corner and Aleksander Barkov zipped a cross-ice pass from the low left circle. Sam Reinhart took a wrist shot from the top right circle which was saved. Barkov steered it in from the top of the crease for his third goal in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     It became 3-1 for the Cats with 1.3 seconds to go in the period. Montour shot the puck wide of the net from the right point. Anton Lundell made a backhand feed from the low left circle and Gustav Forsling blasted a one-time slap shot from the left point for his first goal of the series. 

     In the third period, Florida increased their lead to 4-1 at 1:28. Reinhart centered it from behind the cage. Barkov passed from the low left circle and Eetu Luostarinen scored from the right of crease for his first playoff goal. Boston replaced Swayman in net with Linus Ullmark following the goal. 

     The Panthers expanded it to 5-1 on the power play with 9:08 left in the third. Barkov recovered the puck at the top of the zone and passed to his right. Reinhart returned it to him from the top right circle. Barkov snapped a shot from the high slot by Ullmark for his second goal of the contest and fourth goal of the postseason. 

     The Bruins surrendered a shorthanded goal with 8:02 remaining and trailed 6-1. Montour whipped a pass from the top of the zone to Barkov on the left wing. He centered it from the low left circle and Montour tapped it in from the blue paint for his second tally in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.