Panthers Eliminate Top Seeded Bruins in 1st Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Boston Bruins ran away from the rest of the NHL during the 2022-3 regular season, with a record for wins, with 65, and points with 135, 22 more than the next best team, the Carolina Hurricanes. The Bruins had the best goaltending in the league, allowing just 2.12 goals per game, and were second in scoring behind Edmonton. It seemed like it was Boston’s Stanley Cup to lose.

The Bruins drew the Florida Panthers in the 1st round of the playoffs. The Panthers were the second Wild Card in the Eastern Conference, and the Bruins were expected to cruise right through them and on to the second round. With Boston taking a 3-1 lead in the series, it appeared to be happening as expected.

But then, Florida won Game 5 in Boston 4-3 in overtime to stay alive. It was back to Florida for Game 6. Boston had a 5-4 lead in the third period, before the Panthers scored three unanswered goals to win 7-5. Suddenly, things were getting interesting. It was back to Boston for an unexpected, winner take all Game 7.

Boston trailed 2-1 after two periods, but then scored twice in the first 4:11 of the third to take a 3-2 lead. It looked like that would hold up. Late in the game, Florida pulled its goalie to go with six skaters, and with one minute left in regulation, Brandon Montour scored his second goal of the game to tie it at 3-3. Regulation ended with that score, and overtime would decide it.

Florida’s Carter Verhaeghe ended it with a goal at 8:35 of overtime, and the Bruins were shockingly eliminated. The Panthers will play the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round beginning May 2nd. The Leafs made a little history of their own, ending 19 years of futility in either not qualifying for the playoffs or getting beat in the first round.

A few hours after the Bruins were eliminated, the Seattle Kraken eliminated the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche. The Kraken, in just their second year, will play the Dallas Stars next.