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The Bruins sent a message to the Panthers with the end of Haymaker’s shot in Game 2

Posted on by angelo
The Bruins sent a message to the Panthers with the end of Haymaker’s shot in Game 2

The Boston Bruins suffered an ugly 6-1 loss in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night.

Despite uncompetitive second and third periods, in which Florida scored six unanswered goals, Boston came out (literally) swinging. During the third period, a total of 12 players were ejected prematurely, including six Bruins: Pat Maroon, Justin Brazeau, Trent Frederic, Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle and David Pastrnak. The dozens of strikes thrown by Boston didn’t help the cause of the scoreboard deficit, but they still sent a message.

Pastrnak dropped the gloves with Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk after being challenged, earning approval from the locker room after the loss.

“They’re two rival teams,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said, as shown in NESN’s postgame coverage. “We played each other last year, we played each other this year and it’s going to be a series. What I’m really proud of, I’m proud of Pasta. Because there are so many guys pushing after the whistle and the linesmen are there. Pasta-Tkachuk, they just went out there and fought. It’s what you like. You like your hockey players to be competitive.

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Message delivered: the Bruins do not intend to let themselves be defeated without a willingness to unleash punches.

The Bruins and Panthers were extremely physical from start to finish, totaling 146 hits and 158 penalty minutes. It was, by far, the wildest stretch of hockey Boston has seen thus far in the postseason, and it could set the tone for what both teams should expect in Game 3, Friday night.

But aside from the final brawling moment of the third period, the Bruins were completely outclassed, dragged down to the point where a comeback wasn’t within their reach. The Panthers dominated when it mattered most.

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“We didn’t drink any juice tonight,” Montgomery added, according to NESN.

Boston went 0 for 3 on the power play, while Jeremy Swayman’s red-hot playoff streak (229 saves, .942 save percentage in eight games) came to an end. Swayman was accused of giving up four goals while Linus Ullmark, who took over in net for Boston in the third period, allowed the final two goals, reopening the Bruins goaltending discussion.

“It was one of those games,” Pastrnak explained, as shown in NESN’s postgame coverage. “Like I said, you have a short memory after playoff wins, you have to have it after these kinds of games too. We go home and we have to focus on the third game.