Follow usMason Lohrei led the charge for the Boston Bruins with a goal and an assist, pushing his team to a commanding 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers in the opening game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series in Sunrise, Fla., on Monday.
The Bruins had on a dominant second period, netting three goals to seize control of the game. Morgan Geekie, Brandon Carlo, Justin Brazeau, and Jake DeBrusk also found the back of the net for Boston, continuing their momentum from a Game 7 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the previous round.
Boston’s goaltender Jeremy Swayman stood tall between the pipes, making 38 saves to frustrate the Panthers’ offense. Pavel Zacha contributed with two assists, while Swayman extended his impressive postseason record, conceding two goals or fewer in all seven playoff games he has played.
Despite a goal from Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers couldn’t overcome the Bruins’ relentless pressure. Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves for Florida, but it wasn’t enough to stave off Boston’s offensive onslaught.
With the victory, the Bruins maintained their dominance over the Panthers this season, having won all five meetings between the teams in the 2023-24 campaign, including both regular-season and postseason matchups. The Panthers will look to bounce back in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series, scheduled for Wednesday in Sunrise.
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