The Panthers needed a defenseman to provide some offense to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
Gustav Forsling provided the game-winning goal with 1:33 left in the third period to put Florida ahead of Boston in a 2-1 victory in the TD Garden, clinching the series in Game 6 Friday night.
After three blowouts in the first three games of the Bruins’ and Panthers’ second-round series, the margin between the two teams narrowed. Games 4 and 5 were both decided by one goal. Game 6 was no different. Forsling got a rebounded shot past Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman, giving the Panthers the narrow advantage.
The Bruins struck first, getting the puck after knocking down Panthers standout Carter Verhaeghe. Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk fed center Pavel Zacha, who escaped Florida’s defense on a breakaway and scored his first career playoff goal with just 52 seconds left in the first period.
The Bruins made NHL history in an inauspicious way in the second period, committing their seventh penalty for too many men on the ice in the postseason, which the TNT broadcast cited as a playoff record. Unfortunately for Florida, the Panthers could not take advantage of the power play.
Forward Anton Lundell got the Panthers back into the game 12:44 into the second period. Verhaeghe poked a loose puck toward Lundell, who fired it past Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman to tie the game at one.
Bobrovsky kept the Panthers competitive while Florida found its footing on offense. A little more than midway through the second period, Boston’s Justin Brazeau took a point-blank shot that Bobrovsky blocked away from the goal. A few moments later, the Panthers equalized the game at one.
The Panthers will face the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference finals. Game 1 will be at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Florida will come back to Sunrise to play Games 3 and 4 on May 26 and May 28.
