For a while, it felt like the tribute video and standing ovation for former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand would be the highlight of the first 2025-26 installment of Bruins vs. Panthers.
But as is the case seemingly whenever these foes link up, things got dramatic and spicy by the night’s end. From the Bruins overcoming a multi-goal deficit to the teams trading power-play opportunities and skirmishes after every whistle, the Bruins and Panthers gave a sold-out Garden crowd reasons to get on their feet other than highlights from the past by the night’s end.
Unfortunately for the Bruins, however, an emotionally charged night still didn’t come with the result that Marco Sturm’s club desperately wanted, as the Bruins were handed their fifth straight loss. Dropping this one by a 4-3 final, Tuesday marked the fourth one-goal defeat of the season for the Bruins, and there’s no doubt that this one stung more than the previous four.
Beyond just giving up the game-winning goal with under 26 seconds left, the Bruins let this one slip after getting a third-period power-play goal (something that had eluded them in their last four losses), and got strong contributions from their penalty kill, and even some production out of their second line. Oh, and the Bruins tied things up with their goalie pulled.
They did just about everything they could to earn at least a point in this one, and instead got zero once again.
“It can only be encouraging for so long, right?” Morgan Geekie admitted after the loss. “This one stings. At some point, something’s gotta give.”
What did not give in this game, however, was a charged-up Marchand. In fact, the former B’s captain did everything he could to make life hell for his former club.
On his first shift of the evening, Marchand got the game’s first shot on goal, and then drew a penalty on the Bruins’ Tanner Jeannot. The Panthers then scored on that power-play opportunity, and with Marchand on the board with an assist.
Because of course.
And in addition to the loss, the Bruins found themselves unable to escape the day unscathed.
In what was definitely a surprise, Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm missed his second straight game for the B’s. That was not how their night was looking some nine hours earlier, however, as the Bruins went through a morning skate with all 23 of their players, including Lindholm, available and seemingly ready to go as a full participant.
“It was a game-time decision,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said when asked about Lindholm’s status. “And he said he couldn’t go [in the game tonight] after the skate this morning, so we’ll see [on Wednesday].”
When Lindholm was held out of Sunday’s game in Utah, it screamed load management, especially with Lindholm playing over 20 minutes the night before in what was his first game from a lower-body ailment that held him out of action for four games. A condensed schedule will do that to players working their way back from injury this season, they would all acknowledge.
But Tuesday’s absence would seemingly indicate that there’s been a setback suffered somewhere along the way, which is the absolute last thing the Black and Gold need right now with five straight losses to their name.
The strain was felt in a major way on Tuesday, too, as the Panthers torched Mason Lohrei for two goals that Sturm pinned on the 24-year-old.
“Those two goals, yeah, can’t deny it, they were on him,” Sturm said of Lohrei’s struggles in the loss. “We have to try to correct it, try to help him, and make sure he’s not going to do that again. That’s for sure.”
Boston’s injury situation on the backend extended beyond just Lindholm, though, with Jordan Harris (in the lineup for Lindholm) was spotted walking around the Boston dressing room with a heavy and noticeable limp following the defeat.
On Wednesday, the Bruins officially placed Harris on the injured reserve and recalled Michael Callahan from AHL Providence.
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