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Final, Gm. 3: Bruins 4, Panthers 2 - Boston takes pivotal third game in Florida to retake series lead
The Bruins will continue the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Friday when they visit the Florida Panthers for Game 3 of the first round at FLA Live Arena. Follow along for updates from Friday's game.
WHO: Bruins vs. Panthers (Series tied, 1-1)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET
WHERE: FLA Live Arena
TV: NESN, TNT, CBC
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub
SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1: Bruins win, 3-1
Game 2: Panthers win, 6-3
Game 3: Bruins win, 4-2
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 -- Charlie Coyle -- Trent Frederic
Taylor Hall -- David Krejci -- Jake DeBrusk
Tyler Bertuzzi -- Pavel Zacha -- David Pastrnak
Jakub Lauko -- Tomas Nosek -- Garnet Hathaway
Matt Grzelcyk -- Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort -- Dmitry Orlov
Linus Ullmark
Jeremey Swayman
Scratched: Nick Foligno, A.J. Greer, Oskar Steen, Jakub Zboril, Connor Clifton, Brandon Bussi
Injured: Patrice Bergeron (upper-body)
FLORIDA
Eetu Luostarinen -- Aleksander Barkov -- Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe -- Sam Bennett -- Matthew Tkachuk
Ryan Lomberg -- Anton Lundell -- Anthony Duclair
Nick Cousins -- Eric Staal -- Colin White
Gustav Forsling -- Aaron Ekblad
Marc Staal -- Brandn 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 did not travel to Florida with the team. He will not play Game 3 and is not expected for Game 4. Jim Montgomery said they "believe Game 5 is likely" for Bergeron's return to the lineup. The captain skated on his own the last two days at Warrior Ice Arena, Montgomery called him "day-by-day" on Wednesday.
Montgomery told reporters the decision to play Bergeron in the final regular-season game was a "well-thought-out plan" and they would do it again: "Life happens. Tweaked something in that last game."
Linus Ullmark did not participate in the morning skate. Montgomery called him a game-time decision. Brandon Bussi will back up Jeremy Swayman if Ullmark cannot go.
UPDATE: Ullmark led the Bruins out for warmups. Looks like he's in.
Elliotte Friedman reported on Wednesday’s “32 Thoughts” podcast that Ullmark was ill earlier in the week when discussing Ullmark's Game 1 outing.
"Someone said to me that Ullmark was really sick," Friedman told Jeff Marek. “[Jeremy Swayman] may not have been 100 percent, so Ullmark went. Someone just said to me that Ullmark gave them a real performance under less-than-ideal situations. Let's put it that way."
Could be an explanation for his absence this morning.
Montgomery said after the Game 2 loss that it gave him pause "to think about changes everywhere." Clearly, as no line is the same except for the Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo pairing. If the morning skate lines hold true, Connor Clifton would draw out. Dmitry Orlov would bump to Derek Forbort's right. Matt Grzelcyk appears likely to slot in alongside Charlie McAvoy.
Up front, Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic bumped up to the top line with Brad Marchand, likely in search of a 5-on-5 compliment for No. 63. The Tyler Bertuzzi-Pavel Zacha-David Pastrnak line is reunited, but as the third unit. Boston could be looking to optimize the matchup for that trio. Jakub Lauko appears to be in for Nick Foligno on the fourth line. Meanwhile, David Krejci is now centering Taylor Hall and Jake DeBrusk, two strong, dependable 5-on-5 skaters who can help Krejci with their speed.
Ryan Lomberg did not participate in Panthers morning skate, but Paul Maurice said he is fine and is expected to be in the lineup. Other than Lomberg's absence, Florida appears to have the same lineup plan.
FINAL
The Bruins come away with a big 4-2 victory in Game 3 to retake control of the series, 2-1. The B's chased Alex Lyon after David Pastrnak beat him glove-side once again in the third. Charlie Coyle, Nick Foligno and Taylor Hall added goals. Linus Ullmark looked poised with 28 saves after he was a game-time decision.