On Friday, the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins will compete in Game 3 of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs East. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston and will be aired on TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC and TVAS.
The Panthers, coming off a 6-1 win over the Bruins in the second game, have leveled the series at one win apiece. Boston initially held the lead, thanks to Charlie Coyle's goal in the first 20 minutes, but the game took a turn soon.
The second half saw Steven Lorentz score for Florida, followed by Aleksander Barkov who put the Panthers ahead. Gustav Forsling's goal in the dying 0.3 seconds of the second half put the Panthers 3-1 up.
The third half saw Eetu Luostarinen and Barkov extend the lead, with Brandon Montour adding a sixth goal. Sergei Bobrovsky's 15 saves helped Florida secure the win, while Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark's conceded six goals in the loss for Boston.
With the series tied at 1-1, the Panthers will hope to capitalize on their recent win, while the Bruins will aim to leverage their home ground advantage. Thus, Game 3 promises to be an electrifying and thrilling encounter.
Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins: Game preview
Following a loss to the Bruins in the first game, the Florida Panthers put up an impressive performance in the next. Their offense managed six goals, while their defense was equally strong, conceding only one.
In their last game, they were behind 1-0 after the first period but scored three goals in the second period and another three in the third period, leading to a comprehensive victory.
Aleksander Barkov contributed two goals and two assists, while Sam Reinhart provided four assists.
Brandon Montour, Matthew Tkachuk, Steven Lorentz and Eetu Luostarinen combined for four goals and four assists, while goalie Sergei Bobrovsky defended 14 of 15 shots faced.
In the playoffs, the Panthers average 3.86 goals per game, convert 18.2% of their power plays and concede 2.86 goals per game and have an 84% penalty kill rate.
Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins showcased an impressive performance in the first game of the series, but their performance dipped in the last game. They scored the first goal of the game, but it was their only goal, as they lost 6-1.
Charlie Coyle contributed a goal and two shots on goal. The Bruins, who only managed 15 shots on goal, need to work on their offense, while their defense also needs to step up.
Jeremy Swayman had a tough game, allowing five goals from 62 shots, which led to Linus Ullmark replacing him. Ullmark is likely to be the starting goalie in this game.
In the playoffs, the Bruins average 2.67 goals per game, convert 27.3% of their power plays, allow 2.11 goals per game and have a 93.3% penalty kill rate.
Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins: Injury report
Sam Bennett of the Panthers is doubtful to play due to an upper body injury, while Ryan Lomberg's participation is being assessed daily.
In contrast, the Bruins will be without Danton Heinen for undisclosed reasons. Matthew Poitras is struggling with a shoulder injury. Milan Lucic will not be participating due to personal reasons, while Andrew Peeke is out with a finger injury.
Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins: Head-to-head
The Boston Bruins have an all time playoff record of 5-9-0-0 against the Panthers.
When it comes to faceoffs, the Panthers lead with a success rate of 52%, while the Bruins are at a 43.4% success rate.
Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins: Spread
The Bruins are trailing by 1.5 goals against the Panthers. The Bruins' odds to cover the spread are -255, while the Panthers' odds are +205.
Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins: Over/Under
The Game 3 has an over/under set at 5.5 goals. The odds for the game to go over are -104, while the odds for it to stay unde are -118.
Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins: Series Odds and score prediction
Boston, being a +104 underdog, holds a 49% chance of securing a win. Meanwhile, Florida, as a -125 favorite on the road, has a 55.6% chance of winning the game.
Score Prediction: Panthers 4-2 Boston