RECAP: Panthers 4, Bruins 3

BOSTON – Hail the homecoming king.

Making a major impact in his return to Boston, Brad Marchand dished out a pair of primary assists to lift the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 win over the Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday.

Snapping out of a four-game skid, Florida is returning home at a respectable 4-4-0.

“It was just fun to watch,” said Carter Verhaeghe, who scored the game-winner late in regulation. “You just take a seat. He’s playing unreal out there. He has so many good memories in this building. It was good to sit back and be part of history a little bit.”

Less than a minute into the game, the Panthers found themselves on the power play.

Mixing up their combinations on the man advantage after a 0-for-7 showing last game, Florida’s new top unit got the job done right away when Mackie Samoskevich crashed the crease and sent a rebound past Jeremy Swayman to make it 1-0 at 1:01 of the first period.

A native of nearby Connecticut, Samoskevich had roughly 20 guests in the stands.

“Sometimes you get a power play that early in the game and guys aren’t even warmed up,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “We’d come off such a two-game stretch on the power play, to get that one, it also keeps the other team a little honest and makes them aware how important their discipline is going to be. Those power-play guys are guys that get paid to put pucks in the net. If they go a few games [without a goal], they feel it.”

Making himself at home in his old barn, Marchand notched his first assist of the night.

Later in the period, he received an emotional tribute video and a standing ovation.

“Extremely touching,” Marchand said. “I’m so grateful the moment.”

Doubling the lead for the Panthers early in the second period, A.J. Greer, also a former member of the Bruins, pounced on a loose puck in the right circle immediately following an offensive-zone faceoff win and ripped the rubber past Swayman to make it 2-0 at 2:01.

Helping chip the puck to Greer, Jonah Gadjovich recorded the lone assist.

“It was a good battle won by Gadj,” Greer said. “As soon as the puck went to me, I just wanted to get it on net. I think we get rewarded like that. As a fourth line, it’s a great way to show we can contribute in the offensive zone.”

Not letting the Bruins find an answer, Florida stepped up on the penalty kill.

Surviving a pair of power plays for Boston in the second period, the Panthers surrendered just two total shot attempts over the four minutes they spent shorthanded. Nearly scoring on the second kill, Anton Lundell was robbed by Swayman on a one-timer in transition.

Putting the Bruins on the board early in the third period, Pavel Zacha finished off a tic-tac-toe sequence by sending a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky from the left circle to make it 2-1 at 2:01.

With momentum finally on their side, the Bruins evened the score soon after when Elias Lindholm tipped in a shot from David Pastrnak on the power play to make it 2-2 at 4:46.

Continuing his unforgettable night, Marchand helped put the Panthers back on top when he sprung Eetu Luostarinen free on a breakaway. After muscling his way past a defender, Luostarinen fired a shot over Swayman’s blocker and into the twine to make it 3-2 at 9:58.

Pulling Swayman for a late 6-on-5 advantage, the Bruins got the game tied once again and thought they’d likely forced overtime when Morgan Geekie scored to make it 3-3 at 18:29.

The term “likely” is key there.

Pocketing two important points for the Panthers, Verhaeghe flew down the ice and fired a shot toward the net that went off the post, caught a piece of Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke and then sailed back into the cage to make it 4-3 at 19:34.

A big goal in Beantown?

Nothing new for No. 23.

"I didn't even see it go in," Verhaeghe said of the strange score.

This early in the season, you’ll take goals – and points – any way you can get them.

After an epic homecoming, everyone is now just looking forward to the flight home.

“Everybody just wants to go home,” Maurice smiled. “You end up building your road endurance over the course of the year, but the first road trip, especially when it’s as long as this one, everyone just wants to go home.”

THEY SAID IT

“I left [Boston] and I turned the page, and I found something truly special again that I’m very proud and blessed to be a part of. … I’m so grateful to be in this dressing room with this group. I built something special with every guy in this room last year.” – Brad Marchand

“He (Mackie Samoskevich) is so skilled. He has a nose for the net. He goes to the right spots and shoot the puck so well. Every game, he seems to be getting better.” – Carter Verhaeghe

CATS STATS

- Carter Verhaeghe (59:34) scored the latest game-winning goal for the Panthers since Feb. 6, 2025.

- Sam Bennett won a team-high 11 faceoffs.

- Niko Mikkola blocked a team-high three shots.

- Eetu Luostarinen and Mackie Samoskevich each had three shots on goal.

- The Panthers led 10-8 in high-danger shot attempts at 5-on-5.

- Sergei Bobrovsky made six high-danger saves, per NaturalStatTrick.com.

WHAT’S NEXT?

We’re heading home!

Kicking off a four-game homestand, the Panthers will host Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.

For tickets, click HERE.