The Bruins douse the Panthers

Two down, Boston rallies and Zacha ends it

Two goals in the hole

The Boston Bruins finished 1st of 32 last season, and for one period at TD Garden their Gauntlet flame was close to going out. The Florida Panthers, 17th of 32 a year ago, had snuffed the Penguins on qualification night. Boston had sent the Blue Jackets dark the same night. In the Round of 16, one of these two candles would not last the night.

Aleksander Barkov struck first, wristing one home at 6:13 of the first off feeds from Sam Reinhart and Niko Mikkola. At 15:08, Barkov returned the favor and Reinhart buried a wrist shot. Florida led by two.

Boston claws back

Brad Marchand cut it in half 3:38 into the second, set up by Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle. Then the score stood still for 23:42, until defenseman Charlie McAvoy wristed in the equalizer at 7:20 of the third, with David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha assisting. At 9:28, McAvoy was done for the night, hit with a 15-minute match penalty. Behind it all stood Linus Ullmark, who stopped 35 of 37 as Florida outshot Boston 37 to 26.

Zacha ends it

Overtime lasted 3:36. Zacha beat Sergei Bobrovsky, who had made 23 saves, with an unassisted wrist shot, and the Panthers' flame went cold. The Bruins burn on, one of 14 candles still lit.