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Final: Panthers 6, Bruins 3 – Turnovers cost Bruins in ugly Game 2 loss; Florida evens series
The Bruins will continue the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday when they host the Florida Panthers for Game 2 of the first round at TD Garden. Follow along for updates from Wednesday's game.
WHO: Bruins vs. Panthers (Boston leads the series, 1-0)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET
WHERE: TD Garden
TV: NESN, ESPN, Sportsnet
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub
SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Bruins win, 3-1
Game 2: Panthers win, 6-3
Game 3: Friday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. AT FLORIDA (TV: NESN, TNT, Sportsnet | RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub)
Game 4: Sunday, April 23 at 3:30 p.m. AT FLORIDA (TV: NESN, TNT, Sportsnet 1 | RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub)
Game 5: Wednesday, April 26 TBD AT BOSTON (TV: TBD | RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub)
Game 6: Friday, April 28 TBD AT FLORIDA (TV: TBD | RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub)
Game 7: Sunday, April 30 TBD AT BOSTON (TV: TBD | RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub)
PROJECTED LINEUPS
BOSTON
Brad Marchand -- Pavel Zacha -- Jake DeBrusk
Tyler Bertuzzi -- David Krejci -- David Pastrnak
Taylor Hall -- Charlie Coyle -- Trent Frederic
Nick Foligno -- Tomas Nosek -- Garnet Hathaway
Dmitry Orlov -- Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort -- Connor Clifton
Linus Ullmark
Jeremy Swayman
Scratched: Matt Grzelcyk, A.J. Greer, Jakub Lauko, Jakub Zboril, Brandon Bussi
Injured: Patrice Bergeron (illness/undisclosed)
FLORIDA
Carter Verhaeghe -- Aleksander Barkov -- Anthony Duclair
Eetu Luostarinen -- Sam Bennett -- Matthew Tkachuk
Ryan Lomberg -- Anton Lundell -- Sam Reinhart
Nick Cousins -- Eric Staal -- Colin White
Gustav Forsling -- Aaron Ekblad
Marc Staal -- Brandon Montour
Josh Mahura -- Radko Gudas
Alex Lyon
Sergei Bobrovsky
Scratched: Zac Dalpe, Casey Fitzgerald, Mike Benning, Evan Fitzpatrick
Injured: Patric Hornqvist (concussion), Spencer Knight (NHL/NHLPA player assistance program)
PREGAME NOTES
Patrice Bergeron will not play again, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said.
"He's progressing well," Montgomery said. "He's day-by-day."
Bergeron skated on his own Wednesday morning at Warrior Ice Arena. He did not stay out for the team's morning skate.
The captain exited last Thursday's regular-season finale out of precaution due to a nagging upper-body injury. Over the weekend, he became the latest Bruin to fall ill to a bug going around the locker room. Montgomery said that at this point, it isn't illness keeping Bergeron out of the lineup, "He's not at a point where he could play tonight."
The Bruins will ice the same lineup as they did in Game 1 with Linus Ullmark in net, per Montgomery. He said he's looking for the B's to "just keep getting better, within our own game."
He continued, "You need to get better. You know Florida's going to get better. The team that continues to get better is the team that ... if you get better throughout the series, you usually win the series. Game 1's aren't when the series are won. It's as it continues to advance, and the team that gets better is the one that separates from the other."
Alex Lyon will get the start once again for the Panthers, and Sam Bennett will return as the second-line center. He hasn't played since March 20 due to injury.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters Bennett is feeling, "Somewhere between 99 and 100 percent."
Bennett had two goals and an assist, as well as 10 shots, six penalty minutes and a minus-3 rating against the Bruins in four regular-season meetings this year.
"Just another really good hockey player that's a top-six forward to them," Montgomery said of Bennett. "Another guy that plays the game the right way. He's hard and physical and goes to the hard areas. Just another someone that you have to be aware of for them. He makes their depth better."
Bennett's return bumps Anton Lundell to the third center and Eric Staal to the fourth center. Colin White will shift to right wing on the fourth line, while Givani Smith will draw out.