3 things Boston Bruins did wrong in Game 2 vs Florida Panthers

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified May 09, 2024 03:11 GMT

The Boston Bruins dropped a lopsided Game 2 to the Florida Panthers, losing 6-1 in the end and tying their Round 2 playoff series at one game apiece.

Surprisingly, the Bruins were blown out in Game 2 at Amerant Bank Arena after pounding the Panthers, 5-1 in the series opener. Given the Bruins’ poor showing in Wednesday's contest, it's worth looking into why things went south.

Here are three things the Boston Bruins got wrong in Game 2 against the Florida Panthers.

3 things the Boston Bruins got wrong in Game 2

#1. They didn’t show up for the second period

The Boston Bruins went into the dressing room with a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. Charlie Coyle’s first goal of the postseason gave the Bruins the jumpstart they needed to try and take a 2-0 series lead on Florida.

However, the wheels came off in the second period. The Panthers scored three unanswered goals, including Gustav Forsling’s first of the playoffs. Defenseman Brandon Montour notched two assists in the middle frame.

Things didn't get much better for Boston in the third period either. The B’s gave up two more goals, including Aleksander Barkov’s second of the game in a powerplay marker.

To add insult to injury, the Bruins gave up a shorthanded marker midway through the third period, essentially putting the game out of reach.

The Bruins’ frustration was evident after the goal as Brad Marchand ripped into Montour, setting off a massive brawl.

#2: The Bruins did not test Sergei Bobrovsky

The Bruins managed just 15 shots in the game. While they managed to open the scoring, they didn’t generate much beyond that. The Bruins failed to further test Panthers’ netminder Sergei Bobrovsky, especially in tight and in front of the net.

Furthermore, Boston was unable to generate many chances on the powerplay, going 0-for-2. The Panthers easily killed off the penalties, without needing to rely on their netminder to make big saves.

Bobrovsky atoned for the lackluster performance he showed in Game 1, shutting the door when he had to, giving the Panthers a chance to put the game away for good.

#3: Jeremy Swayman had his worst showing of the postseason

Swayman made 38 saves in Game 1, paving the way for the Bruins to win the game.

However, he faltered in the next tilt, getting pulled after giving up the game’s fourth goal. It was the first time this postseason that Swayman was chased from the game.

Thus far this postseason, Swayman has been the difference-maker for Boston. Even in the two losses he had against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round, Swayman held Toronto’s offense in check.

Swayman will need to bounce back for Game 3 on Friday night at TD Garden. Otherwise, coach Jim Montgomery may need to turn to Linus Ullmark to backstop the team moving forward.