The Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers both entered their Tuesday night tilt at TD Garden as losers of four straight.
Brad Marchand and his visiting Panthers came out on top in his return to Boston in a wild finish. Florida beat the Bruins, 4-3, extending the Black and Gold’s losing streak to five games.
After Morgan Geekie tied the game with 1:31 left with the goalie pulled, the Panthers got a fluky game-winner when Carter Verhaeghe hit the post and the long rebound went off Andrew Peeke’s skate and into the net with 25.7 seconds left.
Marchand had two helpers in his emotional return to Boston, helping the Panthers end their five-game road trip on a high note.
The Bruins wiped out a two-goal deficit early in the third period, but the Panthers came out on top in the final minute to secure the victory.
Boston made one of its five power-play opportunities count as Elias Lindholm tipped a David Pastrnak shot and it sneaked through Sergei Bobrovsky at 5:46 to even it at 2-2. However, Florida regained the lead 9:58 on a backhand tally from Eetu Luostarinen.
The Bruins pulled Jeremy Swayman with two minutes to go for the extra attacker, and it paid off as Geekie potted the equalizer with 1:31 left.
Here are more notes from Boston’s fifth straight loss:
— After returning from injury against the Colorado Avalanche, defenseman Hampus Lindholm missed his second straight game, despite participating in practice on Tuesday.
“It was a game-time decision, and he said he can’t go after the morning skate today, or this afternoon,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm told reporters after Boston’s loss, per team-provided audio. “So we’ll see (Wednesday).”
Lindholm has missed four of the Bruins’ first eight games to begin the 2025-26 season.
— Despite losing five consecutive games, Sturm likes the fight of the Bruins and the fact his club doesn’t quit when trailing.
“The one thing about this group, I have to say, they do not quit,” Sturm said. “Would I like to see it earlier? Yes.
“… We have good people in our locker room. We just try to add pieces, and get them on that bus, and we still need everyone. And right now, … there’s still a few missing. So, that’s my job, and our job moving forward to get everyone on board (of playing a full 60 minutes).”
— Mason Lohrei had a few mistakes in the loss — two that led directly to Panthers’ goals.
“Those two goals, yeah, can’t deny it, they were on him,” Sturm said of the young defenseman. “We have to try to correct it, try to help him, and try to make sure he’s not going to do that again. That’s for sure.”
— The Bruins fell to 3-5-0 on the season, losing four of their last five games by one goal.
“In general losing, you don’t want to lose a hockey game,” Sturm said. “But, when you lose those one-goal games, the tough part is we gave (our opponents) a lot of goals so far this season by just individual mistakes. And that’s the frustrating part.
“We’re playing some really good hockey teams,” Sturm continued. “But still, that’s just something we have to have a closer look at. But a loss is a loss for me too.”
— Boston will look to end its five-game skid when the Anaheim Ducks come to town on Thursday. Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on NESN and 98.5 The Sports Hub.
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