FINAL, Game 4: Panthers 3, Bruins 2 - Florida scores 3 straight to take commanding series lead

2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eastern Conference Semifinals

WHO: Bruins at Panthers, Game 4
WHEN: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: TD Garden
TV: TBS, truTV
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub

LIVE BOX SCORE 

SERIES SCHEDULE (Florida leads 3-1)

Monday: Boston 5, Florida 1
Wednesday: Florida 6, Boston 1
Friday: Florida 6, Boston 2
Today: Florida 3, Boston 2
Tuesday, May 14: Game 5 at Florida, 7 p.m.
*Friday, May 17: Game 6 at Boston, TBA
*Sunday, May 19: Game 7 at Florida, TBA

ROSTERS

PROJECTED LINES

Boston

Jake DeBrusk — Morgan Geekie — David Pastrnak
Danton Heinen — Charlie Coyle — Trent Frederic 
James van Riemsdyk — Pavel Zacha — Justin Brazeau
Jakub Lauko — John Beecher — Pat Maroon

Mason Lohrei — Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm — Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort — Andrew Peeke

Swayman
Ullmark

Florida

Vladimir Tarasenko — Aleksander Barkov — Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe — Sam Bennett — Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen — Anton Lundell — Evan Rodrigues
Steven Lorentz — Kevin Stenlund — Kyle Okposo

Gustav Forsling — Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola — Brandon Montour
Oliver Ekman-Larsson — Dmitry Kulikov

Sergei Bobrovsky

PREGAME NOTES

• Brad Marchand has been ruled out for tonight's Game 4 after suffering an upper-body injury in Game 3. He's considered day-to-day.

“Brad’s in the team meetings, he’s doing well,” said Jim Montgomery.

The Bruins are not pleased with Florida forward Sam Bennett, who appeared to deliver a punch to Marchand’s head as the two came together in front of the benches early on in Game 3.

“I don’t think I classified it as dirty. I just think it was outside the lines. I think it was someone that plays the game on the edge and he knew what he was doing…he loaded up,” said Montgomery.

The Bruins also acknowledged that there should have been a better response to Bennett’s actions.

“I feel that that’s my fault that we didn’t retaliate to some degree, but you’re trying to get back in the game,” said Montgomery. “It’s 1-0 up until they get the four-minute power play and then we start the third and we score right away, and we got juices going. There’s reason why we didn’t but I think that’s something that I personally take responsibility for that.”

Trent Frederic said the Bruins must find the right balance in sticking up for their captain, while also trying to tie up the series at two games apiece.

“There can be a time in the game where that can happen. That’s something that we might address but it’s a 2-1 series. We’ve got to be smart, too. We’ve given them a lot of power plays already. Try to limit it and do it in a smart way,” said Frederic.

“I think it pisses off everyone. I think this whole team ticks everyone off, to be honest. There’s some individuals that maybe make guys more frustrated and more mad. But you can’t use it as frustration, you still have to go out and do the job. We’re still down 2-1 and try to make it 2-2 tonight."

• Montgomery said Danton Heinen, out since Game 5 against Toronto, is “an option” to return to the lineup. Montgomery also said that Zacha will slide down to be the team’s third-line center.

• Montgomery on possible changes on the back end: “There’s always possible changes,” he said. “We have nine capable defensemen. 11 [forwards], 7 [defensemen is] not outside the realm.”

• Montgomery did not name a starting goalie, saying only, “The thinking and factoring is, we talked about we had a plan at the beginning, and it always considered the fact that our goalies are not used to playing consecutive games in a lot of short period of time, so that’s factoring into the decision tonight.”