Bruins' playoff push slowed by Panthers

Florida completes season sweep against Boston despite being on verge of elimination

Apr. 3, 2026 at 2:04am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes of color.The Bruins' playoff push hits a roadblock as the Panthers complete a season sweep in a tightly contested game.Sunrise Today

The Florida Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday night, with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky making 28 saves. The Panthers got first-period goals from Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett, while the Bruins' lone goal came from Fraser Minten late in the opening frame. The win keeps the Panthers' slim playoff hopes alive, while the Bruins' four-game winning streak comes to an end.

Why it matters

The Bruins are currently holding the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference, so this loss slows their playoff push. Meanwhile, the Panthers are on the verge of elimination from the postseason, making this an important win to keep their faint hopes alive.

The details

Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 15 saves in the third period and 28 overall as the Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins. Mackie Samoskevich opened the scoring for Florida with his third goal in as many games, and Sam Bennett made it 2-0 in the first period. Boston's Fraser Minten scored late in the first to cut the deficit to 2-1, but Bobrovsky held strong the rest of the way.

  • The game was played on Thursday, April 3, 2026.
  • The Panthers also used a fast start in a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night, scoring five goals in the opening period.

The players

Sergei Bobrovsky

The Florida Panthers goaltender made 28 saves in the win.

Mackie Samoskevich

The Panthers forward scored the opening goal of the game.

Sam Bennett

The Panthers forward scored the second goal of the game.

Fraser Minten

The Bruins forward scored Boston's lone goal in the game.

Jeremy Swayman

The Bruins goaltender made 22 saves in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to come out strong against a desperate team. Our guys did a great job of setting the tone early and Sergei was rock solid for us all night.”

— Andrew Brunette, Panthers Head Coach

“We just couldn't find a way to solve Bobrovsky tonight. He was seeing the puck really well and we couldn't generate enough sustained pressure in their end.”

— Patrice Bergeron, Bruins Captain

What’s next

The Bruins will look to bounce back on Saturday when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Panthers will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins.

The takeaway

This loss is a setback for the Bruins in their quest to secure a playoff spot, while the Panthers kept their slim postseason hopes alive with a gutsy performance. The battle for the final wild-card berth in the East remains tight, with both teams jockeying for position down the stretch.