Panthers Steal Home Ice Advantage From Bruins

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The Boston Bruins had 65 wins and 135 points this season. They had the best season in NHL history in those terms.

But what they don’t have anymore is home-ice advantage in their opening round playoff series.

The Florida Panthers stole that away from them with a 6-3 win at Boston’s TD Garden Wednesday night. Defenseman Brandon Montour led the offensive charge with a pair of goals and 30-year-old goalie Alex Lyon posted 34 saves for his first career playoff victory.

Montour is the first defenseman in Panthers’ history to score two goals in a postseason game. In the regular-season, Montour tied the team record for goals by a defenseman (16) and set new marks for assists (57) and points (73).

His goal 22 seconds into the third period against the Bruins is also a new franchise record for fastest goal to start any playoff period. The game was tied when Montour found the net in the third.

The President Trophy-winning Bruins registered 43 more points than the Panthers in the regular-season.

The Panthers now have three of the next five games in the series scheduled for their building, starting Friday for Game 3.

The Bruins played their second consecutive game without their leader Patrice Bergeron who has been out of the lineup with what is believed to be both an illness and injury.

⭐️ Top line forward Teuvo Teravainen broke his left hand in the Carolina Hurricanes’ 4-3 overtime win against the New York Islanders Wednesday. He will have surgery and will miss at least the rest of this series. He was hit on the glove by Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau as he was taking a shot late in the third period. The Hurricanes are already playing without injured key forwards Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty. The ‘Canes are up 2-0 in the series. “He got slashed, he broke his hand," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "With the puck, takes a shot, [Pageau] absolutely tomahawk chops him… So, I'm a little [ticked], to be honest with you."

✌️ Leon Draisaitl’s goal and two assists push the Edmonton Oilers to a series-tying 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings Wednesday. He has five points in the first two games. “I think he's been the best player on the ice through two games in the series by far," Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. "He found a way to get things done in different ways, and it was a big reason we won the game tonight." Connor McDavid set up Draisaitl’s goal with a perfect cross-ice feed for his first point of the series.

Who did the Vegas Golden Knights play in their first playoff series in April of 2018?

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TRIVIA ANSWER

The Vegas Golden Knights played and swept the Los Angeles Kings in their first ever playoff series.