Final, Gm. 7: Panthers 4, Bruins 3 (OT) - Florida knocks out Bruins in first round

The Bruins will continue the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday when they host the Florida Panthers for Game 7 of the first round at TD Garden. Follow along for updates from Sunday's game.

WHO: Bruins vs. Panthers (Series tied, 3-3)
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. ET
WHERE: TD Garden
TV: NESN, TNT, CBC, Sportsnet
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: Bruins win, 6-2
Game 5: Panthers win, 4-3 (OT)
Game 6: Panthers win, 7-5
Game 7: Sunday, April 30, 6:30 p.m. AT BOSTON (TV: NESN, TNT, CBC, Sportsnet | RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub) 

LIVE BOX SCORES

PROJECTED LINEUPS

BOSTON

Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Tyler Bertuzzi
Pavel Zacha -- David Krejci -- David Pastrnak
Taylor Hall -- Charlie Coyle -- Jake DeBrusk
Trent Frederic -- Tomas Nosek -- Garnet Hathaway

Matt Grzlecyk -- Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm -- Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort -- Dmitry Orlov

Jeremy Swayman
Linus Ullmark

Scratched: Connor Clifton, Nick Foligno, A.J. Greer, Jakub Lauko, Jakub Zboril

FLORIDA

Carter Verhaeghe -- Aleksander Barkov -- Sam Reinhart
Nick Cousins -- Sam Bennett -- Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen -- Anton Lundell -- Anthony Duclair
Zac Dalpe -- Eric Staal -- Colin White

Gustav Forsling --Radko Gudas
Marc Staal -- Brandn Montour
Josh Mahura -- Casey Fitzgerald

Sergei Bobrovsky
Alex Lyon

Scratched: Givani Smith, Casey Fitzgerald, Mike Benning, Evan Fitzpatrick

Injured: Ryan Lomberg (upper body), Patric Hornqvist (concussion), Spencer Knight (NHL/NHLPA player assistance program)

PREGAME NOTES

Jim Montgomery would not reveal any lineup changes or who will start in net during his media availability.

Jeremy Swayman was the first goaltender off the ice, indicating he may likely get the nod in goal. Nick Foligno and Connor Clifton may also draw out of the lineup after they stayed on the ice after the team portion of the skate ended. 

It's the third chance the Bruins have to close out the series and move on as their record-setting season hangs in the balance. Tonight's winner will have the Toronto Maple Leafs waiting for them in the second round.

"We just have to play better, and I don't think you have to change a bunch of things in order to do that," Taylor Hall said. "We know what's on the line, guys that it could be their last game as a Bruin, we know all those things. At the end of the day, we have to go out and beat them. Play just a bit better than we did in Games 5 and 6. Lock things down when we do get a lead, and we'll be good."

The Bruins were unable to close out third-period leads in Game 6. Florida got off to quick starts in Games 5 and 6, and the team that has scored first has won each game so far.

"[The way to frustrate Florida] is to not give them easy offense. You've seen over the course of the series how their top guys can produce on the rush and they can play well when given situations and odd-man rushes," Hall said. "For us, I think we've given those up too often, too early. Eventually, we hit a stride throughout the game, and we get a lead or have momentum, but we just can't keep it. We can't get that two-goal lead.

"So, I think for us, the most important thing to at least start the game, is not play safe, but play simple, play direct, play in front of us and not let them get that easy offense or those easy momentum chances they've gotten."

It will be Patrice Bergeron's 14th career Game 7 appearance, tying him with Zdeno Chara for the most in NHL history. Boston has 21 skaters with experience in a Game 7, while Florida has six.

Paul Maurice said the Panthers will roll with the same lineup they had in Games 5 and 6.

FINAL

Carter Verhaeghe scores in overtime to topple the Bruins and send Florida to the second round. Boston fought back from aa 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in the third before the Panthers tied it late.