Bruins Expecting Response Against Lightning After Lackluster Loss

Boston is set to play Tampa Bay on Saturday after a disappointing loss to Florida.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 3:33pm

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The Boston Bruins are looking to bounce back from a frustrating 2-1 road loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Head coach Marco Sturm felt the team took the game too lightly and didn't play their best for 40 minutes, which cost them the game. Sturm expects the Bruins to come out strong against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, which could be a potential playoff preview.

Why it matters

The Bruins are firmly in a playoff spot, but Sturm wants to see the team play better down the stretch. A strong performance against the Lightning could be a good sign for Boston as they prepare for the postseason.

The details

In the loss to the Panthers, the Bruins struggled from the start and lacked energy. Sturm felt the team took the game too lightly, especially against a Panthers team missing several key players. The Bruins entered the game with a record of 43-25-8 and are six points up on a playoff spot with just six games left in the season.

  • The Bruins lost 2-1 to the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
  • The Bruins are set to play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

The players

Marco Sturm

The head coach of the Boston Bruins.

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What they’re saying

“I think overall, every time you're a little bit harder on them, I feel like they respond better. (Thursday) again, (the Panthers) have a lot of guys out and we've seen that picture before. I've seen it before.”

— Marco Sturm, Head Coach

“We just took it a little bit too lightly, I thought. Maybe I'm wrong, but that just can't happen, especially this time of year, so that's why it was so frustrating. We didn't play our game for 40 minutes, and that cost us the game.”

— Marco Sturm, Head Coach

What’s next

The Bruins will look to bounce back against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, which could be a potential playoff preview.

The takeaway

The Bruins' lackluster performance against the Panthers was frustrating, but it has motivated the team to come out strong against the Lightning. A strong showing against a top opponent could be a good sign for the Bruins as they prepare for the playoffs.