For the second time this week, the Florida Panthers downed the Bruins 3-2 in exhibition play. The Bruins held a 2-goal lead in the third period, but two third period tallies by Florida sent the game to overtime and gave the fans at TD Garden a few more minutes of hockey. After a scoreless overtime, the Panthers put the Bruins away in the shootout to complete the comeback.
One of the great things about exhibition hockey is you are almost guaranteed to see a fight or two. The fans didn't have to wait long tonight to see a dust-up. The action got started just under 6 minutes into the game when Mark Stuart and Kenndal McArdle dropped the gloves. The lengthy bout was more of a grappling match than fisticuffs, but Stuart scored the take down as the two combatants fell to the ice along the endboards.
The second bout of the night went down late in the first period when Milan Lucic and Triston Grant went toe-to-toe. Grant took a run at Horton earlier and Grant and Nathan Horton starting slashing at each other on the face-off before Lucic and Grant got together and swapped fists. Lucic was the definitive winner in this one as he unloaded on Grant. Lucic: 5 minutes for fighting. Grant: 5 minutes for receiving. Time of the penalties 17:22.
Tyler Seguin gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead 1:20 into the second period. Zdeno Chara had the puck at the left point and threaded a perfect diagonal pass to Seguin at the right circle,which gave the rookie a lot of net to shot at. Mark Recchi also picked up a helper on Seguin's first goal of the preseason.
Nathan Horton made it 2-0 with a goal against his old team at 11:51 of the second period. David Krejci's work on the forecheck created a turnover and Horton gathered the puck at the left circle before skating to the slot and firing a wrister past Scott Clemmensen for his second goal in two preseason games.
The Panthers got on the board 2:20 into the third period when Radek Dvorek put the puck past Tuukka Rask. Marty Reasoner got the puck at the blueline in what looked like an offside position and put a shot on net. Rask made the stop, but Dvorek gathered the bouncing puck in front and deposited it into the back of the net.
Kenndal McArdle tied it up with 11:14 left in the third. McArdle and Marty Reasoner both converged on the puck carrier Nathan Harton behind the Boston goal. Reason gained possession of the puck and fed it out front to McArdle for the equalizer.
A tripping call on Kenndal McArdle late in the third period gave the Bruins a power play opportunity, but despite some quality chances, could not find the back of the net. With the score knotted at 2-2, the Bruins and Panthers went to the extra session.
After a scoreless overtime period, the game headed to the shootout:
Patrice Bergeron scored 5-hole with a forehand shot. 1-0 Bruins
Mike Santorelli scored 5-hole on a similar move to the one Bergeron used. 1-1
Ryan Spooner skated way out wide along the right wing boards and skated across crease. Clemmensen was able to just barely get his pad on the puck to deny Spooner's attempt.
Cory Stillman roofed the puck over Rask's right shoulder. 2-1 Panthers
Seguin tries to go glove side and is denied by Clemmensen. Panthers win
Notes:
- Matt Bartkowski logged a game-high 26:11.
- 6 players who participated in tonight's game have been property of both the Bruins and Panthers: Matt Bartkowski, Dennis Seidenberg, Marty Reasoner, Nathan Horton, Gregory Campbell, and Byron Bitz.
- Kenndal McArdle was an assist away from a Gordie Howe Hat Trick.
- The Panthers out-shot the Bruins 28-25.
- The Bruins will head to DC on Tuesday for a preseason tilt with the Washington Capitals, which is part of a home-and-head with the Caps.
- For more on tonight's game from a Sunshine State of mind, head over to The Litter Box....or Litter Box Cats. I'm not really sure what to call, mostly because they don't know what to call it. Make up your mind Donny. Is it The Litter Box or Litter Box Cats? Whatever you call it, it's a great site run by a New England expatriate and Whalers fan.