The Boston Bruins will close out their brief, two-game homestand when they take on the Florida Panthers on Saturday afternoon. Puck drop is set for 1:00 p.m. Follow along for updates from Saturday’s game.
WHO: Panthers (34-32-12) at Bruins (47-21-9)
WHEN: 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: TD Garden
TV: NESN
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub
LIVE BOX SCORE: NHL.com
TICKETS: BSJ ticket partner SeatsForEveryone.com
LIVE COVERAGE:
3:33: Final: Florida beats the Bruins, 4-1. This is the first loss for the Bruins at TD Garden since all the way back on Jan. 19.
3:29: 4-1 Florida. Bruins'
3:29: Empty net for Boston with 2:48 left.
3:17: I ... don't know how a puck doesn't get past Luongo there.
3:07: Marchand beats Luongo with a backhand attempt, but the puck dies in the blue paint. Close call.
3:01: Cassidy goes back with Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak to start the third.
2:58: Third period underway.
2:40: End Second: Bruins trail the Panthers, 3-1.
2:36: Johansson draws a penalty. Sheahan off to the box.
2:29: Panthers score shorthanded. 3-1 game.
2:23: Noel Acciari beats Luongo to a loose puck and knocks it home on the backhand. 2-1 game with 6:48 left in the second. B's finally showing signs of life.
2:04: Great set-up from Krejci to DeBrusk, but it doesn't get by Luongo.
2:02: Second period underway.
1:44: Luongo robs Chara with a fantastic glove save. Panthers enter the first intermission with a 2-0 lead. Boston with a 16-8 edge in SOG.
1:39: Evgeni Dadonov buries a rebound past Rask. 2-0 Florida with 4:16 remaining in the first. Two goals on six shots for the Panthers.
1:35: Great one-time look for Krejci but it sails wide.
1:34: Riley Sheahan opens the scoring just as the power play expires. 1-0 Florida with 6:23 left in the first. Just the third SOG for the Panthers so far today.
- The Bruins have already locked up a playoff spot, but Boston still has plenty to play for with second place in the Atlantic (and home ice in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs) still not secured. The magic number for the Bruins is 5 when it comes to clinching second place over the Maple Leafs. A win on Saturday and a loss that night for Toronto would put Boston just one point away from locking up its spot in the standings.
- Boston will get some reinforcements on the blue line for Saturday’s matinee, as Matt Grzelcyk will return to the lineup. Grzelcyk has missed the last eight games due to an arm injury. Kevan Miller, who has not played since Feb. 23 due to an upper-body injury, has a chance to return Sunday against the Red Wings. Miller has been limited to just 36 games so far this season.
- “We’ll make those determinations in the morning, but Grzelcyk looks like he’s a day ahead of Kevan,” Bruce Cassidy said on Friday. “So, game-time decision tomorrow for both, really. But I would say Grizz tomorrow and maybe Kevan Sunday (against Detroit).”
- After getting eliminated from playoff contention, the Panthers have dropped five of their last seven games after previously winning four in a row. Still, Florida has plenty of firepower up front — headlined by center Aleksander Barkov (90 points).