Panthers fall to Bruins 3-1, enter Thanksgiving in a playoff spot

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers dropped their first game at home in over a month on Wednesday night, losing to the Boston Bruins 3-1 at Amerant Bank Arena. 

Charlie Coyle, John Beecher and Jake DeBrusk scored as the first-place Bruins improved to 14-1-3 on the season, and 2-0-0 against the Panthers.

Linus Ullmark took home first-star of the game honors on the back of his 27 save performance. The Bruins goalie is 7-1-1 on the season.

“He’s a good big goalie,” Aaron Ekblad said about Ullmark. “He likes to play the puck. Everytime you rim it, he stops it and makes a play.”

Anton Lundell got the lone Panthers goal on Wednesday, redirecting a puck off his foot into the net for his second goal of the season. Lundell centered the Panthers’ top line as they were without their captain Aleksander Barkvov for a second straight game.

“I never want anybody to be away (with an injury), but it’s an opportunity for our guys to step up. Not only me,” Lundell said. “Playing against other teams first lines is a huge challenge and I like to take that.” 

Last season’s seven game, first-round series between the Bruins and Panthers was a physical, competitive and emotional event. In the two games this season, it has felt like there’s been a lot of carry from that series. Tonight there was a combined 26 penalty minutes — with seven of 10 penalties coming in the first period. 

“It’s all built in the playoffs, there’s a little bit more edge to those games and that’s why they’re more fun to play,” coach Paul Maurice said. “You hope you make the playoffs a whole bunch of years, you develop 15 rivalries, that’s the idea…Coming to the rink is more fun with somebody you don’t like.”

The Panthers drop  to 12-6-1 on the season following Wednesday night’s loss, however they still sit second in the Atlantic Division at Thanksgiving. Florida is 7-2-0 at home this season.

Florida will be back at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday night to wrap up their three-game homestand, taking on the Winnipeg Jets at 8 p.m. The Jets lead the season series against the Panthers 1-0.

Panthers notes

The Panthers sold out Amerant Bank Arena for the third-straight game (19,327), fourth of the season. 

Florida was without their captain Aleksander Barkov again on Wednesday. Barkov has missed the past two games with a lower-body injury (day-to-day).

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky  is 9-5-1 on the season.