The Florida Panthers scored twice in the third period to cap a comeback from a two-goal deficit, giving them a 3-2 win over the host Boston Bruins on Sunday in Game 4 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Anton Lundell posted a goal and an assist while Sam Bennett and Aleksander Barkov both scored in the final frame to lift the Panthers to a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Evan Rodrigues dished out a pair of assists for Florida.
The Panthers have an opportunity to clinch the series on Tuesday in Game 5 in Sunrise, Fla.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 16 saves in Florida’s net.
David Pastrnak and Brandon Carlo scored Boston’s goals, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 38 shots.
The Panthers had a 41-18 edge in shots and went 1-for-6 on the power play.
Bennett tied the game at 3:41 of the third when a bouncing puck came to him at the left crease for a tap-in on the power play. Bennett appeared to cross-check Charlie Coyle into Swayman to create the open lane to the goal, but Boston’s challenge for goaltender interference was unsuccessful.
The score flipped Florida’s way for the first time at 7:31, as Barkov slipped down the slot after corralling a deflected puck at center ice and beat Swayman over his blocker.
Two Boston power plays went by the boards after Florida’s go-ahead goal, including a six-on-four with Swayman pulled following an Aaron Ekblad interference call in the final minute.
Boston led 2-0 after one period despite being outshot 15-5.
After Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy set the physical tone with a heavy hit on Sam Reinhart just 15 seconds into the game, Swayman made key stops throughout the opening five-plus minutes, including one on Vladimir Tarasenko’s attempt to sneak the puck past his far pad.
Boston wasted little time converting on its first power play, scoring at the 8:53 mark of the first, only eight seconds into a man-advantage opportunity stemming from an Ekblad interference call. Pastrnak took a Jake DeBrusk feed to the right circle and stepped into a one-timer that beat Bobrovsky to his blocker side.
Carlo doubled the Bruins’ lead at 15:12, corralling a bouncing puck at the center point and firing it through traffic for his third goal of the postseason.
Lundell put Florida on the board with 5:12 left before the second intermission, taking a Rodrigues pass out of the corner and slipping a quick shot from the left circle over Swayman’s shoulder.
–Field Level Media
