The Bruins defeated the Panthers 6-2 in Game 4 on Sunday to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. Here’s what you need to know:
- Boston got on the board first with a Brad Marchand power-play goal in the first period and captured two-goal leads behind Jake DeBrusk’s scores in the second and third. Taylor Hall scored twice in the final minutes to finish with two goals and two assists.
- Linus Ullmark, who exited after receiving a 10-minute misconduct for a scrap late in the third period, finished with 41 saves and was credited with an assist on Hall’s first goal.
- The Bruins host Game 5 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
DeBrusk responds
DeBrusk had to leave the first period early after taking a puck to the head. He came back in a big way.
After returning in the second period, DeBrusk scored a power-play goal after Matthew Tkachuk cross-checked Garnet Hathaway in the back. DeBrusk’s goal made it a 2-0 game. In the third period, DeBrusk scored on the rebound of a Pavel Zacha shot to give the Bruins a 4-2 lead. — Shinzawa
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Line changes pay off
Coach Jim Montgomery changed his top three lines at the start of the third period. The moves paid off.
A No. 3 line of Tyler Bertuzzi, Trent Frederic and Nick Foligno scored on its first shift. Bertuzzi tipped Brandon Carlo’s shot into the net. DeBrusk’s second goal came while he was on a new second line with Zacha and Taylor Hall. — Shinzawa
Heads-up Ullmark save
The Panthers were roaring in the first period. At one point, they had a 10-0 shot advantage. One of those pucks should have gone in — a close-range Sam Reinhart chance off a two-on-one rush with Carter Verhaeghe.
But Ullmark pushed from right to left and timed his leap just right to put his mask in front of Reinhart’s chance. — Shinzawa
Linus Ullmark SPRAWLS for the early save in Game 4 ❌
🎥 @Sportsnetpic.twitter.com/rxr2SguJ4Z
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) April 23, 2023
Backstory
The Bruins continued to play without captain Patrice Bergeron and forward David Krejci.
Montgomery previously said Bergeron, who’s missed four straight games, did not travel with the Bruins to Florida. The captain suffered an upper-body injury in the team’s final regular-season game.
Krejci missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury despite participating in pregame warmups.
Highlights of the game
EWWW TAYLOR 🥵 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/pliK8sig9R
— NHL (@NHL) April 23, 2023
OH OK CHUCKY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KTNMJlr2nt
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) April 23, 2023
2023 NHL playoff bracket
The 2023 NHL postseason is alive and well.
Fill out your full bracket for the Western and Eastern Conference Playoffs ⤵️https://t.co/E8MXPu4GJE pic.twitter.com/pfRuj6QZqG
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) April 17, 2023
Required reading
- Buckley: The Bruins have found the sweet spot of aggressive playoff hockey
- Behind the Linus Ullmark-Matthew Tkachuk fight that almost happened
(Photo: Jasen Vinlove / USA Today)