Playing without their captain and No. 1 center, and with multiple players recovering from acute illnesses, the Boston Bruins still found a way to grind out a 3-1 win in over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

The Panthers played with fire early on, taking two penalties within the first five minutes of the game. The Bruins made them pay for the second one.

Making the play was trade deadline addition Tyler Bertuzzi, who made a behind-the-back pass to David Pastrnak against an overloaded Florida penalty kill, giving him a wide-open net. Pastrnak tapped it in with ease to make it 1-0 and kick off the playoff scoring for the Bruins.

• The feeeeed. 🍝 pic.twitter.com/zoEh433idx

  — Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 18, 2023

• Despite the Bruins’ power play success, the Panthers had the upper hand in terms of shot production at even strength. Florida out-shot Boston 13-4 at 5-on-5 and had a 7-4 edge in high-danger scoring chances.

  The Bruins were able to withstand that into the second period and grab the game’s second goal. This time it was Brad Marchand throwing the puck on Panthers goalie Alex Lyon, who couldn’t handle what should’ve been an easy save. The puck trickled in to make it 2-0 Bruins.

• 6️⃣3️⃣ with a sneaky one. pic.twitter.com/z23Aul0FBL

  — Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 18, 2023

• Less than three minutes later, the Panthers got one back. It started with a brutal turnover by Bruins defenseman Dmitry Orlov, who appeared to try a tip-pass on a breakout attempt, but instead sent it directly to Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk.

  Tkachuk showed off his elite skill by roofing the puck in close range, making it 2-1 Bruins.

• What a goal by Matthew Tkachuk to get the Panthers on the board 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yyWn6jrroh

  — B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 18, 2023

• With the period nearing a close, the Bruins swarmed Lyon and smelled a big scoring chance. It was Jake DeBrusk who ultimately got the whack on the puck that the B’s needed, amid chaos in front of the Panthers net. DeBrusk beat Lyon at the doorstep for another big insurance goal to make it 3-1 Bruins.

  DeBrusk has scored in consecutive playoff games, dating back to Game 7 at the Carolina Hurricanes last year.

• 7️⃣4️⃣ sticking with it. pic.twitter.com/UjK5B807j7

  — Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 18, 2023

• Bruins forward Garnet Hathway momentarily appeared to have a goal to make it 4-1, but the Panthers won their challenge for goaltender interference after the replay showed he clearly hit Lyon’s glove to make the puck fall into the net. The 3-1 score would hold from there, giving the Bruins a 1-0 series lead.

  Up Next: The Bruins and Panthers get back to action for Game 2 on Wednesday night at TD Garden.

  Click here for complete Boston Bruins coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.

  Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.

Get The 98.5 The Sports Hub Newsletter Delivered To Your Inbox

Stay up to date with the latest Boston sports news and analysis, local events, exclusive contests, and more.

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.