The Boston Bruins came back from down 2-0 to defeat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime on Monday night at TD Garden. Pavel Zacha supplied the game-winner in the extra time.

Zacha seized the opportunity during the 3-on-3 OT, rushing down an open lane to the Panthers’ end and firing a rocket of a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky for the winner.

The game was scoreless for just over six minutes, until the Panthers drew first blood. Florida captain Aleksander Barkov grabbed the

Sasha Barkov gives the Panthers the lead in Boston. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/yYMhiT20ak

Barkov caused more trouble for the Bruins later in the period, this time setting up the goal. Barkov carried the puck behind the Bruins’ net against rookie Matt Poitras, then used his superior size and reach to feed it around Poitras to Sam Reinhart, who fired it past Ullmark from the slot to make it 2-0 Panthers.

• The Bruins finally had a sign of life early in the second period. Bearing down on the Panthers’ goal on a rush, Jake DeBrusk made a nifty backhand feed to Brad Marchand at the net front, and Marchand hammered it in to cut the Panthers’ lead to 2-1. Marchand is up to five goals in nine games so far this season.

  Brad gets us on the board. pic.twitter.com/DWK31yqSze

  — Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 31, 2023

• After a quiet start to the third period for both teams, the Bruins suddenly struck at 5-on-5. The play started with a heads-up pass from Pavel Zacha to David Pastrnak in the neutral zone, giving him a lane to the slot.

  Pastrnak then fed it to Charlie McAvoy in the slot, and the defenseman finished at the net for his second goal in as many games, tying it 2-2.

  Charlie McAvoy ties the game for the Bruins. 🐻 pic.twitter.com/JFFGwoLz4a

  — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 31, 2023

• Soon after he scored the tying goal, McAvoy was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head of Panthers defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Bruins ended up killing off the major penalty, as their league-best penalty kill improved to 36-for-37 on the season (97.3 percent).

  McAvoy could face supplemental discipline from the NHL league office for this hit:

  McAvoy gets a well-deserved misconduct.
  
  Match penalty for an illegal check to the head on OEL. pic.twitter.com/EYa1NXVHka

  — Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) October 31, 2023

• The teams battled to a draw for the rest of the third period, setting the stage for overtime.

  Up Next: The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Bruins. Next up are the Toronto Maple Leafs (5-2-1) on Thursday night at TD Garden.

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  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. Check out all of Matt’s content here.

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