Boston Bruins Stave Off Elimination, Defeat Florida Panthers in Game 5
By Zachary McMahon –
The Boston Bruins came into Game 5 of the series against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night on the brink of elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs as they faced a 3-1 deficit.
The Bruins called up Patrick Brown, Jayson Megna, and goaltender Brandon Bussi before game 5 of the series. Brown was called up for the second time in the playoffs as he was called up to replace Jesper Boqvist, who was out with an injury.
Bussi was called up as the emergency third goaltender, as the Providence Bruins just finished their season after losing to the Hartford Wolves in the Calder Cup playoffs. Goaltender Michael DiPietro was the third goaltender while the Providence Bruins were in the playoffs, and then was sent back down to Providence when Bussi was called up.
Morgan Geekie scored the first goal for the Bruins in the first period, five minutes into the game after assists from Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy.
However, the Panthers would tie up the game at one in the second period off the stick of Sam Reinhart past Jeremy Swayman.
McAvoy would score the go-ahead goal in the second period, but that would not come without controversy as in front of Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky as Danton Henien’s stick would touch Bobrovsky as Heinen was trying to clear a path for a shooter to score the goal for the B’s. After the challenge by Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, the goal stood as it was McAvoy’s first playoff goal since May 29, 2021 against the New York Islanders.
Swayman would shut down the Panthers the rest of the way as he had 24 saves in the final 40 minutes of the game off 25 Panthers shots. He had lighter work in the first period, after the Panthers only shot four times in the period, which was their lowest of the playoffs in shots on goal in a period. His last save of the game was when he stopped Reinhart from close range with eight seconds left in the game, which would be the most important stop of the game.
The Bruins would avoid elimination with a 2-1 win, as the series will go back to Boston for game 6, as the Bruins would not want to end the playoffs against the Panthers in Boston with a loss for the second year in a row. The Bruins are now 2-0 in the playoffs for elimination games, as they won in Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Game 6 will be on Friday in Boston as the time and broadcast information is not available at the time of writing. If the Bruins survive, Game 7 will be back in Florida next Monday.
