The Boston Bruins were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the playoffs last year. So far, in the 2024-25 season, the two teams have played each other two times, and both games have ended with Panthers wins.
The Panthers are obviously in the Bruins’ heads right now, and it’s starting to show when they play.
The game at TD Garden on Monday was intense and filled with physical play, and some controversial incidents. It’s not unusual for teams to target an opponent’s best player, and David Pastrnak was involved in several physical plays on Monday.
Forward A.J. Greer, a former Boston Bruin, took a run at the superstar along the wall, leading to Pavel Zacha dropping the gloves in retaliation. Later in the first period, it was Pastrnak’s time to run over Sam Reinhart, earning him an interference penalty. Nate Schmidt went after David Pastrnak after the hit, but he didn’t even reach him until Brad Marchand was there.
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The captain jumped over his teammate—literally—and dropped the gloves with Schmidt, earning him a roughing penalty.
Postgame, after the Bruins’ 4-3 loss to the Panthers, Brad Marchand got the chance to talk about the plays, and fans absolutely loved how he downplayed the fact that former Bruins A.J. Greer targeted Pastrnak.
”You usually target the other team’s best players,” Marchand said, per The Athletic.
”So every time he has the puck, they’re going to go after him. But I don’t think they were going at him too hard.”
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Marchand also praised Pavel Zacha for fighting Greer and the Bruins players for sticking up for each other.
”Pav did a great job getting in there with Pasta,” Marchand said. ”I thought (Schmidt) was going after Pasta too. Those things happen. It’s something we’ve always done, stick up for each other.”
