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Bruins Postgame: Staying Alive! Bruins Beat Panthers 2-1

Originally posted on Boston Hockey Now | By Jimmy Murphy | Last updated 5/14/24

Cue the Bee-Gees because the Boston Bruins are ‘Staying Alive! Staying Alive!’ after beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Florida.

The Bruins will now host the Panthers in Game 6 on Friday night and try to force a Game 7 back in Florida on Sunday.

Charlie McAvoy’s goal at 10:25 was upheld by a goaltender’s interference challenge from the Panthers and wound up being the game-winning goal for the Bruins. McAvoy also assisted on Bruins forward Morgan Geekie’s goal that put the Bruins up 4:49 into the first period. Sam Reinhart tied the game for the Panthers 6:23 into the second period before McAvoy’s go-ahead goal in the final frame.

Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman was brilliant again, with 28 saves, and Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky kept his team in the game with 26 stops.

Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Bruins Postgame:

CLUTCH: The Bruins, their fans, and the media that cover the Boston Bruins on a regular basis have been trying to figure out what’s been going on with Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy. The Bruins’ No. 1 D-man has uncharacteristically been turning the puck over like it’s a hot potato and has been caught out of position way too often. In Game 5, McAvoy did everything that so many, like NESN Bruins color man Andy Brickley, urged him to do on The Eye Test Podcast just three hours before the 7 p.m. faceoff on Tuesday. McAvoy was poised, he was assertive, and he picked his spots to pinch perfectly, as evidenced by the game-winning goal.

So big for the #NHLBruins.

Charlie McAvoy has a goal and an assist tonight with Boston’s backs against the wall.
pic.twitter.com/mkWBLp3umN

— Jason Cooke (@cookejournalism) May 15, 2024

McAvoy finished with a goal and an assist, six shots, three hits, and four blocked shots. This was by far his best game in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

DOGHOUSE: It is hard to complain about the effort from the Boston Bruins in Game 5, but one thing that has become a pattern over the last two games is the Bruins failing to pad the lead throughout the game. The Bruins had a 2-0 lead in Game 4, and regardless of some bad breaks, they still had chances to pull away as Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle missed two Grade A chances in the second period. The Bruins also mustered just two shots in the third period of that game. That was the case again in Game 5 as the Bruins had numerous chances to add to their 2-0 lead again and then their 2-1 lead.

BANGER: Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle led all skaters with eight hits. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound pivot also assisted on McAvoy’s game-winning goal and blocked a shot.

UNSUNG HERO: Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman is either the Clutch or Unsung Hero in every game here. He could’ve easily been the clutch player again tonight, too. Swayman (28 saves) held down the fort throughout the game, specifically in the final seconds when he stuffed Panthers 57-goal scorer Sam Reinhart with eight ticks left in regulation.

Jeremy Swayman comes up with a huge save in the dying seconds of regulation as the @NHLBruins force a Game 6! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/XtAMHFdyXv

— NHL (@NHL) May 15, 2024

Series Schedule:

Game 1: Bruins 5 Panthers 1
Game 2: Panthers 6 Bruins 1
Game 3: Panthers 6 Bruins 2
Game 4: Panthers 3 Bruins 2
Game 5: Bruins 2 Panthers 1
+ Game 6: Panthers at Bruins — May 17, TBD
+ Game 7: Bruins at Panthers — May 19, TBD