Takeaways: Bruins upset Panthers in Game 1 and begin series with statement win

| May 7, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Jeremy Swayman continues to rise to the occasion.

The Boston Bruins continued where they left off after a stunning Game 7 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Boston Bruins used a similar strategy to defeat the Florida Panthers in Game 1 on Monday, but they didn’t require an additional session.

Just 67 ticks after Matthew Tkachuk took advantage of a Charlie McAvoy defensive zone turnover, the Bruins capitalized in their attacking end when Game 7 hero David Pastrnak forced Aaron Ekblad into a turnover on his way to Morgan Geekie’s equalizer.

Boston’s defensive core gave greater offensive support, allowing them to take a decisive lead. Within 3:22, a Mason Lohrei snipe and a late second-period goal by Brandon Carlo, who had just welcomed the newest member of his family, increased the B’s advantage to 3-1.

Jeremy Swayman withstood another Florida surge at the start of the third. His teammates did not allow the Panthers to stay within striking distance, with Justin Brazeau backhanding his breakaway attempt past Sergei Bobrovsky after a Boston timeout.

Jake DeBrusk capped off Boston’s 5-1 win with an empty netter late in regulation.

Here’s what we learned from Boston’s Game 1 triumph.

Carlo caps off a memorable 24 hours with dad goal.

The Bruins transported every member of their healthy and injured core to South Florida. However, one member of their ‘staff’ stayed at home to care for the newest member of his family.

Brandon Carlo arrived at Amerant Bank Arena just before puck drop after he and his wife, Mayson, welcomed their newborn son, Crew, early Monday morning.

Despite working on little sleep, Carlo, well known for his stay-at-home position, received the fatherly boost. The veteran defenseman scored a crucial insurance goal in the final seconds of the middle stanza, increasing Boston’s advantage to 3-1.

“I won’t forget these 24 hours,” Carlo stated. “I don’t score very often, so it’s a very cool experience for me, and there was a part played there by God, so I’m very thankful.”

The last 24 hours may be Carlo’s most memorable experiences of his career, from supporting his wife in the hospital bed to playing a key role in a playoff victory.

In the process, he provided one more highlight for his colleagues after a busy 72 hours.

“I could only imagine what it’s like leaving your little one and your wife right after. Mayson is a big part of this team too because of that, allowing him to come and be here and supporting him,” Swayman said of Carlo. “It’s probably the most memorable moments that I’ll have in this playoff run, no doubt about it. And seeing him just so positive and happy, and we’re all so happy for him.”

Swayman continues to rise to the occasion

The Bruins could’ve easily turned to Linus Ullmark for his first start in two weeks. After all, the Swede developed quite the track record against the Panthers during his three regular season outings, posting a .947 save percentage and a perfect 3-0 record.

Instead, the Bruins opted to ride Swayman’s hot hand.

The fourth-year netminder faced heavy traffic and bailed the Bruins out on multiple occasions during his sixth straight start. He faced his first test early, denying Anton Lundell’s doorstep bid on the very first shot he faced.

As the Bruins sought for their ‘A’ game, they had many high-danger chances. But Swayman shown calmness and commitment on his way to 38 saves.

“His battle level inspires and gives our bench a lot of energy,” Montgomery remarked about Swayman. “But, I must say, I thought our attempt was commendable. I assumed we were physical. I don’t think our execution was close to what it should have been.”

Bruins receive a pair of timely responses after Tkachuk’s tally and third-period timeout.

Even in a productive win, the Bruins still encountered moments of self-infliction.

McAvoy’s struggles continued after his ill-time outlet feed led directly to Tkachuk’s stick. A few moments later, the Bruins committed their fourth too-many-men infraction of the postseason.

Yet, the Bruins survived those developments. And they carried over a trend from Game 7 after Hampus Lindholm notched the equalizer 81 seconds after William Nylander’s marker midway through the third.

Two days later, the Bruins had to overcome another deficit in the latter half of a 60-minute tilt, establishing a building block on Geekie’s third of the playoffs. But they entered survival mode in the third after the Panthers hemmed the Boston D deep on multiple shifts, prompting Jim Montgomery to use his timeout.

The Bruins regained their stride a few shifts later, adding another insurance tally on Brazeau’s breakaway.

“I just wanted us to relax, be calm, have poise and execute,” Montgomery said about the timeout. “I could tell players were hurried, a little frantic with the puck. We had opportunities to make plays, saw a couple of icings, so this would be the time where, you know, just reset.”

Lohrei’s progression continues to rise in playoff duty.

The former Ohio State standout spent his rookie season between Boston and Providence. With each callup, he continued to showcase his offensive skillset and progressed in his defensive development.

Lohrei returned to Boston following Andrew Peeke’s injury in Game 2. He rose to the occasion in his first taste of playoff hockey, using his gifted puck-moving skillset to complement his improved 200-foot traits.

Lohrei’s second-period tally exemplified his growth into a well-rounded defenseman. With Bobrovsky in the butterfly position, Lohrei sniped a crafty top-shelf marker on the short side to put the Bruins ahead for good in his first signature playoff highlight.

“His poise with the puck and willingness to hang on to it, to find a better play, is amazing,” Montgomery said about Lohrei.

The Bruins, who saw Derek Forbort return from a multi-month break between NHL games, could face some difficult decisions on the back end whenever Peeke is cleared for a possible return to the lineup. However, given what they’ve seen from Lohrei in his first six postseason appearances, they shouldn’t have a tough time contemplating his future involvement.

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