After trading captain Brad Marchand to Florida, Bruins score three in third to beat Panthers 3-2

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Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha (18) is congratulated after his goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) checks Boston Bruins center Mark Kastelic, left, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, right, celebrates after his goal against Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, not pictured, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) kneels after giving up a goal to Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save on a shot by Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88), as defenseman Seth Jones (3) tries to clear the crease, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) gloves a save as Boston Bruins center Patrick Brown, right, ducks the shot during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes the save as Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) looks for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Florida Panthers center Anton Lundell (15) shoots on Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) but hits the post during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Boston Bruins center Vinni Lettieri (95) is tripped in front of Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) fails to make the save on a goal by Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) celebrates after his goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman stretches but can’t make the save on a goal by Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

By JIMMY GOLEN

BOSTON (AP) — David Pastrnak had one goal and assisted on Pavel Zacha’s winner as the Boston Bruins scored three times in the third period to overcome a two-goal deficit and beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Four days after Bruins captain Brad Marchand was traded to the Panthers, his old team beat his new one and sent the defending Stanley Cup champions to their first loss in seven games. Boston, which had lost eight of nine heading into the trade deadline, has since won back-to-back games against likely playoff teams from Florida.

Marchand didn’t play while he recovers from an unspecified upper-body injury that knocked him out of Boston’s March 1 game in Pittsburgh. He took part in a morning skate at the TD Garden, telling reporters afterward: “It still felt weird.”

The former Bruins captain was well-represented in jerseys in the crowd, including a pair of fans wearing brand new No. 63 Panthers sweaters along the glass next to the penalty box.

Dmitry Kulikov scored to snap a 46-game drought, and Mackie Samoskevich made it 2-0 early in the third period on a five-on-three power play. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 shots for Florida, which had won 11 of its previous 13 games.

But Boston made it 2-1 when Casey Mittelstadt, one of the team’s trade deadline acquisitions, found Pastrnak in front midway through the third. Mason Lohrei tied it with 6:09 left, and then Pastrnak fed Zacha for the winner with 3:17 left.

Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves for the Bruins.

Key moment

Florida poked a puck through Swayman’s pads with 1:31 left but the officials blew the play dead before it crossed the line.

Key stat

Pastrnak’s goal snapped Florida’s shutout streak of 186 minutes, 49 seconds — the longest in franchise history. The Panthers’ previous record was 182:37 set from Feb. 21-27, 2004.

Up Next

The Panthers are in Toronto on Thursday night and the Bruins visit Ottawa.

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