Key Points: Bruins’ Game 3 Loss and Brad Marchand’s Exit.

11/05/2024 Simeon Hockey 0

Boston’s penalty kill, typically reliable during the playoffs, conceded four power play goals to the Panthers on Friday.

It seems reality is setting in for the Boston Bruins after their recent highs against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers. Despite the heroics in Game 7 and the initial success in Game 1, they now appear overmatched against the Atlantic Division leaders.

Jeremy Swayman continued to excel in goal, but the Bruins struggled to support him effectively throughout the ice. The tensions from their previous game didn’t carry over, but poor breakouts, sloppy clearing attempts, and ineffective shot selection plagued them from the start.

Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring for the Panthers, and they capitalized on Mason Lohrei’s penalty to extend their lead further.

Despite some late efforts from the Bruins, including goals from Jakub Lauko and Jake DeBrusk, they couldn’t overcome the deficit, ultimately falling 6-2.

As the Bruins faced the absence of injured captain Brad Marchand, they attempted to fill his void by committee.

David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and others tried to step up, but they struggled to replicate Marchand’s influence both on and off the ice.

Offensively, the Bruins struggled to find their rhythm, leaving Swayman exposed defensively.

Their penalty kill, usually reliable, faltered against a potent Panthers power play, highlighting areas for improvement as they face a series deficit.