Bruins Continue Hot Streak, Tame Panthers 4-2

The Boston Bruins continued to assert their dominance in the NHL's Eastern Conference last night, defeating the Florida Panthers 4-2 in a game that was never even close.

On "Slap Shot Night," a promotion that featured numerous Slap Shot-related giveaways, including Hanson Brothers glasses, and appearances from Steve Carlson (who played Steve Hanson in the movie) and Paul D'Amato (Tim "Dr. Hook" McCracken of the Syracuse Bulldogs), the Bruins exemplified old-time hockey in the rout.

Phil Kessel scored on a breakaway less than three minutes into the game, and the team never looked back. Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Marc Savard also scored for the Bruins, giving the team a 4-1 lead going into the third.

At that point, a David Booth goal early in the first period - which originally bounced out of the net and was originally ruled no goal - was the only blemish on the scoreboard. Ville Peltonen added his first of the season with under four minutes remaining, but by then it was far too late to mount a comeback.

Tim Thomas stopped 30 of 32 shots in the Bruins victory, while Tomas Vokoun faced 39 and stopped 35 in the Panthers' net.

Boston took more penalties than Florida, with Savard, Zdeno Chara, Matt Hunwick, and Aaron Ward all spending time in the box, but the Panthers failed to capitalize on any of those resulting power plays. A double minor for high sticking on Michael Frolik led to Savard's power play goal nine minutes into the second period.

That goal was the final straw for former Bruins defenseman Nick Boynton, who was making his first TD Banknorth Garden appearance in a Florida uniform. He fought Milan Lucic shortly after the goal, but Lucic won the fight handily. Ward mixed it up with Keith Ballard a few minutes later, but they only received offsetting roughing penalties, with Ward's a double minor for instigation.

The three stars of the game were Savard, Bergeron, and Kessel, respectively.

Tonight, the Bruins will visit Montreal for the first time since a 6-1 plastering of the Canadiens at home last week. Florida is off until Monday, when they will host the Carolina Hurricanes.