Bruins Daily: Bergeron Fine; Panthers Cocky?

The Boston Bruins are heavy favorites over the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs but the Panthers aren’t scared.

That, and more Bruins and NHL news in the latest Bruins Daily:

Boston Bruins

64 wins wasn’t enough for the Boston Bruins and 60 goals just didn’t cut it for David Pastrnak apparently. Pastrnak scored, Dmitry Orlov had a goal and an assist, and the Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 at the Bell Centre to close out an historic 2022-23 regular season.

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron left the game after the first period but that seemed to be the plan all along.

The Boston Bruins will face the Florida Panthers in the opening round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While the Bruins come in as heavy favorites, they did have an interesting regular season series.

The Bruins-Panthers series will kick off with Game 1 on Boston Marathon Monday, and Game 2 on Wednesday.

The Florida Panthers know they are maybe one of the biggest underdogs in Stanley Cup Playoffs history and they’re embracing it.

National Hockey Now

MTL: The Montreal Canadiens have secured the fifth-best odds in the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery.

PIT: Some Pittsburgh Penguins feel like their team was trying to find ways to lose down the stretch.

PHI: Former UMass-Amherst and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Justin Braun has played his final NHL game.

DET: The Detroit Red Wings weren’t exactly expected to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs but their fans are still frustrated and their head coach gets it.

COL: The Colorado Avalanche won’t be getting their captain Gabriel Landeskog back for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

VGK: Former Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy and the Vegas Golden Knights will face the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

LAK: Los Angeles Kings forward Adrian Kempe is a 40-goal scorer.

SJS: The San Jose Sharks ended their season with another loss.

NHL

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews has played his final game with Blackhawks and potentially in the NHL.