The Florida Panthers knocked out the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of their first-round series on April 30. The Panthers defeated the Bolts by a 6-3 final score in the matchup, and Boston Bruins legend Brad Marchand helped play a notable role in Florida's series-clinching win.
Marchand put together a strong performance for the Panthers, as he recorded two primary assists in the team's win. With his two-assist night, the former Bruins captain now has four assists and a plus-5 rating in five playoff games this year.
Both of Marchand's assists were nice ones, too. For his first helper, No. 63 threw the puck in front, and Panthers forward Anton Lundell deflected it past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Then, for his second assist, Marchand made a perfect pass in front to Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen before the 26-year-old fired it home.
Marchand was well-known for his impressive playoff performances during his days with the Bruins, and he is now continuing to have them as a member of the Panthers. He is certainly having success with his new club, and he undoubtedly helped them advance to the second round as a result.
It will now be interesting to see if Marchand can stay hot with the Panthers in the second round from here. Bruins fans should also be keeping an eye on Florida's upcoming series. If the Panthers win the second round and Marchand appears in at least 50% of their post-season games, the 2027 second-round pick the Bruins received from Florida in the trade will become a first-round pick.
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