Bruins Lose to Panthers, Snap Four-Game Win Streak

Boston falls 2-1 despite late goal from Minten in first period

Apr. 3, 2026 at 2:22am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with overlapping planes of black, gold, red, and blue representing the action on the ice between the Bruins and Panthers.The Bruins' loss to the Panthers exposes the tight wild card race in the Eastern Conference, with Boston's playoff position now under pressure.Sunrise Today

The Boston Bruins (43-24-8) fell 2-1 to the Florida Panthers (36-35-3) at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL, on Thursday night. The Bruins snapped their four-game win streak and seven-game road point streak with the loss. Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves for Boston, but the Panthers' quick start in the first period proved too much to overcome.

Why it matters

The Bruins' loss keeps them in the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, but they are now only six points ahead of Ottawa and Detroit, who both won. The Canadiens also moved four points ahead of Boston with a win. The Bruins will need to rebound quickly as they continue their road trip against Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.

The details

The Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett. Fraser Minten scored late in the first to cut the deficit to 2-1, but the Bruins were unable to find the equalizer despite outshooting the Panthers 15-7 in the third period. Boston's power play went 0-for-2 on the night.

  • The game was played on Thursday, April 3, 2026.
  • Samoskevich scored at the 4:20 mark of the first period to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
  • Bennett made it 2-0 Panthers at the 7:39 mark of the first period.
  • Minten scored in the final minute of the first period to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The players

Jeremy Swayman

The Bruins' goaltender, who made 22 saves in the loss.

Fraser Minten

The Bruins' 21-year-old forward who scored Boston's lone goal in the game.

Mackie Samoskevich

The Panthers' forward from Newtown, CT who opened the scoring in the first period.

Sam Bennett

The Panthers' forward who scored the second goal to make it 2-0 in the first period.

Sergei Bobrovsky

The Panthers' goaltender who made 31 saves to preserve the win.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We just couldn't overcome that quick start by the Panthers. We had our chances, but Bobrovsky was solid in net for them.”

— Jim Montgomery, Bruins Head Coach

What’s next

The Bruins will look to bounce back on Saturday when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning, followed by a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.

The takeaway

This loss keeps the Bruins in a tight wild card race in the Eastern Conference, with teams like Ottawa, Detroit, and Montreal closing the gap. Boston will need to regain their winning form on the road to solidify their playoff position.