Bruins Blowout Panthers In Physical Clash Between Rivals

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins (13-4-1) took down the Florida Panthers (9-7-2) inside TD Garden in a physical, mean, and spirited hockey game on Sunday afternoon.

The game was everything anyone would want from a Panthers-Bruins game and more.

Fights, scrums, goals, hits, chaos, all of it was there. The chaos began on the opening drop, when Nikita Zadorov and Brady Tkachuk dropped the gloves to start the matinée.

The teams finished with a combined total of 126 penalty minutes combined.

The Bruins then stormed ahead, scoring two goals in 81 seconds to take an early, commanding 2-0 lead.

Elias Lindholm had the first, which needed to be reviewed before eventually going up on the board for the game's opening strike.

Moments later, Mikey Eyssimont cashed in with a big goal in tight, a reward after some incredibly hard work in tight.

Eyssimont remains untouchably hot wherever he goes. He had 13 goals in 8 AHL games before getting called up. That includes his natural hat-trick on Friday night with the Providence Bruins.

After those goals, it became a complete and total ref show. The stripes called not one, not two, but six (6) minors between the Bruins and Panthers over the last 14 minutes of the first period.

The Bruins benefitted at first, after two obvious Florida penalties, including a vicious two-handed slash by Aaron Ekblad, gave Boston a 5-on-3 for 1:53.

Boston made sure to cash in.

David Pastrnak set up Morgan Geekie, who blasted home from the lower circle.

It's Geekie's fourth-straight game with a goal.

Then, the officiating continued to deteriorate.

Fraser Minten got called for a phantom interference, giving Florida a third power play in the period.

The Panthers cashed in, with a Carter Verhaeghe one-timer from the slot.

That goal came with 1:55 to go in the first period. 

Things devolved from there. The entire second period saw a whopping 52 penalty minutes handed out.

Every whistle brought scrums, with these two teams reminding everyone just how much they dislike one another. 

Nikita Zadorov and Hampus Lindholm both received 10-minute misconducts at the end of the second period, which cut Boston down to four defensemen for the first half of the third period defending a 3-1 lead.

Instead of any danger, the Bruins quickly put the Panthers to bed.

Pastrnak set up JJ Peterka for a pretty goal.

Florida also took two penalties in those 10 minutes, effectively sealing their fate.

Matthew Tkachuk got himself ejected by earning a 10-minute misconduct with 8 minutes to go.

He earned that after taking another minor penalty.

Brady Tkachuk then joined in on the fun and got himself tossed by going after Mark Kastelic.

Kastelic was all too willing to mix things up, and also got the 10-minute misconduct ejection.

The Bruins remained unbothered by Florida's antics. 

They took care of business after taking a 3-0 lead and dropped the Panthers further back in the Atlantic Division.

When the battlefield cleared inside TD Garden, the Bruins were victorious, decisively.

Jeremy Swayman played another outstanding game, making 40 saves in the victory.

The Bruins have three days off before hosting the Montreal Canadiens inside TD Garden Thursday.

That game will be for first place in the Atlantic Division as it stands.