Swayman Saves 28 Shots, Bruins Fight Off Elimination with Game Five Win
Following a comeback victory in Game Four, the Florida Panthers returned home to Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night aiming to close out their series against the Boston Bruins. The Bruins, on the other hand, were trying to turn things around after losing their last three games in the series, being outscored 15–5 since their decisive triumph in Game One. Earlier in the day, it was announced that the Bruins would be without captain Brad Marchand, who would miss his second straight game after suffering an upper-body injury in Game Three on Friday. The Bruins showed that they were the more desperate team in Game Five, blocking 20 shots and generating 49 hits overall. The Bruins would ward off elimination with a 2-1 victory over the Panthers, led by Jeremy Swayman's 28 saves, to force a Game Six back in Boston.
The Bruins controlled the early pace of the game and took the lead at 4:49 in the first period, with their season hanging in the balance. Jake DeBrusk skated behind the net with the puck and passed it to Morgan Geekie, who came down the middle of the zone and backhanded the puck past an outstretched Sergei Bobrovsky and into the net. The Bruins, who had a 12–4 lead in shots on goal and 15 hits in the first 20 minutes of play, would finish the first period with a greater sense of urgency. In the first period, the Panthers would get two chances to go on the power play, but they would not be able to make use of the man advantage. In the second period, at 6:23, the Panthers would even the score at 1-1, with a face-off win in the Bruins’ zone that would lead to Aaron Ekblad’s slap-shot from the top of the zone ricochet off of Swayman’s pads and Sam Reinhart would be there to wrist-shot the loose puck past Swayman’s glove and into the net for his fifth goal of the playoffs.
At 10:25 in the second, Charlie Coyle backhanded the puck to Charlie McAvoy, who was entering the Panthers' zone, and wrist-shot it past Bobrovsky to give the Bruins a 2-1 lead once again. The Bruins' goal would be challenged by the Panthers for goaltender interference. After review, the Panthers' challenge would, however, be deemed unsuccessful. Despite a combined 16 shots on goal in the third period, both sides' goalies remained solid in their creases. The Panthers pulled Bobrovsky late in regulation, but they were unable to tie the game. The Bruins held off the Panthers for a 2-1 victory that forced a Game Six back in Boston on Friday night.
