NHL: Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins - Source: Imagn — Nikita Zadorov and Sam Bennett chuck knuckles in final seconds - Source: Imagn

Watch: Nikita Zadorov and Sam Bennett chuck knuckles in final seconds of heated Bruins-Panthers game

Modified Mar 12, 2025 02:55 GMT

The game between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers on Tuesday ended in a scrap between Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorov and Panthers forward Sam Bennett in the final seconds of Boston's 3-2 victory.

As the Panthers pressed late for the equalizer, Bennett and Zadorov tangled in front of the Bruins net. Dropping their gloves, the two heavyweights traded furious punches, with landing several stiff rights that put Bennett on the ice momentarily.

Watch the video here:

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Officials struggled to restrain them as they continued swinging on the ground before finally separating the combatants. Both received fighting majors as they were escorted off the ice.

The Bruins got goals from David Pastrnak, Mason Lohrei and Pavel Zacha, while Jeremy Swayman collected 26 saves in the win.

Florida’s Dmitry Kulikov and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers as Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 shots in the losing effort.

Game Recap: Boston Bruins 3-2 win over Florida Panthers

Dmitry Kulikov got the Panthers on the board early, scoring with a one-timer from the point just 4:27 into the first after Sam Bennett won a face-off and sent the puck his way. Mackie Samoskevich made it 2-0 at 4:49 of the third, firing in a one-timer from the left circle off a Seth Jones pass during a 5-on-3 power play.

"It was just emotions, it was fun to get a win. Great win for a team, you know, I thought we played good hockey obviously against a good hockey team, came back that showed a lot of character in this team. There's no quit, so it was just emotions up there," Nikita Zadorov said postgame.

Boston answered at 8:56 when David Pastrnak cut the lead to 2-1 with a power-play goal, taking a pass from Casey Mittelstadt and lifting a shot over Sergei Bobrovsky’s pad. The Bruins tied it 2-2 at 13:51 after Mason Lohrei intercepted Kulikov’s clearing attempt and fired a glove-side shot past Bobrovsky.

Boston took the lead at 16:43 when Pavel Zacha scored five-hole off a slick backhand pass from Pastrnak below the goal line.

Next up, the Bruins take on the Ottawa Senators on Thursday while the Panthers face the Toronto Maple Leafs the same night.