Sam Bennett injury: HC Paul Maurice shares latest on Panthers center's availability ahead of playoff Round 2

The Florida Panthers are preparing to face the Boston Bruins in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but they will be without center Sam Bennett for at least Game 1.

Head coach Paul Maurice provided an update on Bennett's status during a press conference on Sunday, saying that while the forward is progressing better than expected, he still won't be ready for the series opener.

Bennett sustained an upper-body injury in Game 2 of the Panthers' first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning after being struck on the left hand by a shot from teammate Brandon Montour. He subsequently missed the final three games of the series.

Despite being unable to play in Game 1 against the Bruins, Maurice indicated that Bennett is considered day-to-day, suggesting that his return to the lineup could come sooner rather than later.

The 27-year-old center played a crucial role in the Panthers' run to the Stanley Cup Final last year, contributing 15 points in 20 games. During the 2023-24 regular season, Bennett scored 20 goals and recorded 41 points in 69 appearances.

Florida Panthers looking to repeat last season's heroics against Boston Bruins

The Florida Panthers are set to host the Boston Bruins in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, with Game 1 scheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. at the Amerant Bank Arena.

The Panthers, who topped the Atlantic Division with 110 points, defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in the first round.

The Panthers will hold a full-team practice in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday to prepare for the upcoming series.

The Panthers will aim to repeat their success from last season, where they defeated the Bruins in seven games after trailing 3-1 in the series.

The Bruins finished second in the Atlantic Division, just one point behind than the Panthers. They earned their spot in the second round after a hard-fought seven-game series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boston's victory in Game 7 at TD Garden on Saturday night set the stage for a rematch with the Panthers.

During the regular season, the Panthers struggled against the Bruins, going 0-2-2 in their four meetings, with both regulation losses coming on home ice.

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery acknowledged last year's playoff loss to Florida, saying:

“Last year had no bearing on how this was going to bear out. We knew that. It’s a storyline, and that’s part of what comes with playoffs. That’s going to happen.

"But at the end of the day we did a great job staying in moment, believing in our group. And we came out on top."

Game 1 of the second-round NHL playoff series can be seen on ESPN.