Bruins In Denial, Continue To Lose ‘Mental Side Of The Battle’ To Panthers

BOSTON–  The Boston Bruins are in denial. 

They won’t admit that the Florida Panthers are firmly in their heads, and they don’t have to, either. 

That fact was evident to all who watched on Monday afternoon as the Panthers took the latest installment of what has been a one-sided war, 4-3, at TD Garden.

“At the end of the day, it’s two points,” said Bruins captain Brad Marchand. “There’s no bearing on last year. It’s not going to change anything that’s happened. It’s two points that we didn’t win.” 

Yes, it is two points in the standings, but there’s more to it than just that. Florida played on Monday without Aleksander Barkov (lower-body injury) and Matthew Tkachuk (illness) and still managed to beat Boston for the second time this season and the 12th time in the last two years, including the playoffs. 

But even without two of their top players, Florida’s strategy remained the same. 

Must Read: Bruins Won’t Beat Panthers At Mind Games

Without fail, every time the two teams come together, the Panthers use mind games and underhanded tactics to gain an edge over the Bruins. Such was the case on Monday when, despite doing their best to maintain their composure to start, the Bruins fell for Florida’s usual tricks. 

A tightly played 1-1 game fell into disarray midway through the first period when former Bruin A.J. Greer drove David Pastrnak into the boards from behind. 

It was a dangerous hit, no doubt. One that went unpenalized and absolutely warranted the typically passive Pavel Zacha fighting Greer in Pastrnak’s defense. 

But even after the score was settled, the Bruins kept going back for more. 

Pavel Zacha objects to A.J. Greer's hit on Pastrnak and drops the gloves. pic.twitter.com/5vEN6t9TM1

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) October 14, 2024

“They’re winning the mental side of the battle,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said. “Yeah, [Pastarak] got hit, and I love what [Zacha] did. He went in and defended him. That’s great. But the penalties after that, I mean, it’s just not disciplined. You can’t win hockey games that way.”

Not even 20 seconds after the Zacha fight was Charlie McAvoy called for a questionable yet unnecessary cross-checking penalty, putting the Bruins in a shorthanded situation that Sam Reinhart quickly capitalized on for Florida. Pastrnak then took a run at Reinhart on the ensuing shift, lighting up the Panther forward with an open-ice hit. 

Florida defenseman Nate Schmidt attempted to drop the gloves with Pastrnak but was instead met with the fists of Marchand. Both Marchand and Schmidt were sent to the penalty box, as was Pastrnak, who received a two-minute minor for interference. 

Pastrnak is whistled for interference — Schmidt objects, and Brad Marchand jumps into the fray.

Bruins-Panthers going exactly as you'd expect. pic.twitter.com/wsJO7fY8ts

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) October 14, 2024

Check Out: To Move Forward, Bruins Must Overcome Past Against Rival Panthers

“The biggest thing, playing this team twice so far, is managing our highs and lows of the game,” said Mark Kastelic, who had three assists in the loss. “I know we want to get retribution early, but I think there’s definitely a time and place.” 

Kastelic is one of the newest members of the Bruins. While he’s certainly aware of the tension he has stepped into, he doesn’t feel it as deeply as some of his teammates quite yet. 

“It’s a pretty fun rivalry,” Kastelic said. “We definitely don’t like each other too much. It creates for a pretty fun hockey game, and it’s fun to be a part of those challenges. I think going forward, we just have to raise our compete level.” 

If only it were that simple for those who’ve lived through this rivalry from the start. 

Jeremy Swayman was there in the first round of the 2023 postseason when the then-wildcard Panthers upset the top-seeded Bruins in seven games. He was there last year as well when Florida walked through Boston in six games en route to winning the Stanley Cup. 

Swayman was once again in net on Monday, allowing four goals on 26 shots. 

When asked after the game if the Panthers had a mental edge over the Bruins, the only word Swayman mustered through gritted teeth was, “No.” 

The Bruins can keep telling themselves that because their actions and, more importantly, the scoreboard are saying more than enough for them. 

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