Panthers edge Bruins in tight defensive battle

Sergei Bobrovsky makes 28 saves as Florida holds off Boston's late push

Apr. 3, 2026 at 7:35am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting breaking down a hockey game into sharp, overlapping geometric planes, with players and action deconstructed into abstract shapes and angles.A cubist interpretation of the hard-fought battle between the Panthers and Bruins, with the game's key moments fragmented into a dynamic visual composition.Sunrise Today

The Florida Panthers, playing without several key injured players, held on for a 2-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves for the Panthers, who got goals from Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett in the first period. Fraser Minten scored late in the opening frame for the Bruins, but they were unable to find the equalizer despite pulling the goalie late.

Why it matters

The win keeps the Panthers' slim playoff hopes alive, as they remain in the hunt despite a rash of injuries to their roster. Boston, meanwhile, missed an opportunity to gain ground in the tight Eastern Conference wild card race.

The details

With defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Dmitry Kulikov sidelined by injuries, the Panthers relied on a patchwork blue line featuring several young and inexperienced players. But they got timely goals from Samoskevich and Bennett in the first period, and Bobrovsky made that lead stand up with a strong performance in net. The Bruins pulled their goalie late but couldn't find the tying goal.

  • The game was played on Thursday, April 3, 2026.
  • Samoskevich opened the scoring for Florida 4:20 into the first period.
  • Bennett made it 2-0 Panthers with 7:39 elapsed in the first.
  • Minten got Boston on the board with 27 seconds left in the opening frame.

The players

Sergei Bobrovsky

The Panthers' starting goaltender, who made 28 saves to lead Florida to the victory.

Mackie Samoskevich

A Panthers forward who scored the opening goal of the game, extending his goal-scoring streak to three games.

Sam Bennett

A Panthers forward who scored Florida's second goal of the first period.

Fraser Minten

The Bruins forward who scored Boston's lone goal of the game late in the first period.

Jeremy Swayman

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

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What they’re saying

“We knew it was going to be a tough game against a desperate team. Our guys battled hard and Sergei was outstanding in net for us.”

— Paul Maurice, Panthers Head Coach

What’s next

The Panthers will look to build on this win and continue their late-season playoff push, while the Bruins will try to rebound and solidify their wild card position.

The takeaway

Despite a rash of injuries, the resilient Panthers found a way to grind out a crucial victory over one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Bobrovsky's stellar goaltending and timely scoring from their depth players allowed Florida to keep their slim postseason hopes alive.