Panthers Ready For Raucous Boston Atmosphere

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers know what awaits them on Friday night. A fired-up crowd in Boston, an angry bunch of Bruins, probably a good amount of chirping and a tension the likes of which can only be created during the NHL playoffs.

Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk can’t wait.

“The best time of year,” Tkachuk said. “Everybody knows that.”

Game 3 of a knotted-up Eastern Conference second-round series between the Panthers and Bruins is Friday in Boston, the teams splitting the first two games in Florida — and tensions ran hot in Game 2. Tkachuk and Bruins star David Pastrnak fought in the third period, a rarity for offensive stars. It was just the third fighting penalty of the season for Tkachuk, and Pastrnak’s first since March 2018.

Florida won 6-1 and the only people busier than the ones logging the goals were the ones logging the penalty minutes, with 12 misconducts getting handed out in the third period alone.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any spillover to the next game,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “They’re two teams that are rivals. We played each other last year, playing each other this year, it’s going to be a series. And what I’m really proud of, I’m proud of Pasta. There’s so many guys out there pushing after a whistle when the linesmen are there. Pasta and Tkachuk, they just went out there and fought. That’s what you like. You like your hockey players to be competitors.”

The Panthers and Bruins — teams that met in a seven-game series in Round 1 last year, won by Florida in an upset — are pretty close groups as well. And Wednesday’s events probably brought the respective rooms even closer.

From Florida’s perspective, there were things to like: a five-goal win, holding Boston to 15 shots on goal, getting its first power-play score of the season against the Bruins, standing tall when things got physical late and above all else tying up the series. From Boston’s perspective, there was much to celebrate as well from its road trip: the Bruins got home-ice advantage by taking Game 1, still have beaten Florida in five of six meetings this season and know the crowd will be raucous.

“This is what playoffs are about,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said. “This is where rivalries are built and obviously with last year, it kind of started there and they play a physical game and we’re able to do that as well. … It’s going to be a physical series. We know that. That’s what fans love. It’s exciting.”

Florida may get forward Sam Bennett back; he hasn’t played yet in the series because of an upper-body injury sustained in Round 1 against Tampa Bay. Bennett will go through morning skate on Friday before the Panthers make a final decision.

The Bruins will have a choice in net, either going back to Jeremy Swayman for an eighth consecutive start or opening with Linus Ullmark. He relieved Swayman in the third period on Wednesday once the Bruins got down 4-1.

“Friday night in Boston, playoffs, it’s going to be a lot of energy in the rink,” Tkachuk said. “Two teams that are very familiar with each other and two teams that really want to win. So, this is a really good series right now.”

(Associated Press)