Marchand Lifts Bruins Past Panthers, 2-1 In OT
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BOSTON (AP) — Brad Marchand scored 3:27 into overtime to lift the Boston Bruins to their ninth straight win over the Florida Panthers, 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Marchand, who also set up Patrice Bergeron's second-period goal, shifted around defenseman Dylan Olsen and lifted a wrist shot over goaltender Roberto Luongo for the winner.
Jussi Jokinen scored for the Panthers, who have earned points in seven straight games. They had won two in a row.
Tuukka Rask made 18 saves for the Bruins, who have won three straight. Luongo had 23 stops.
The Bruins played a video tribute for former enforcer Shawn Thornton, who played with the club from 2007-14 and was a part of their 2011 Stanley Cup championship team, late in the opening period. The video was filled with as many — if not more — fights as goals and the crowd gave Thronton, a fan favorite, a standing ovation. He was in front of the Panthers bench and waved to the crowd.
There was just one penalty called in the game — a minor against Boston in the second.
The Panthers broke in front 1-0 on Jokinen's goal 4:04 into the second period when he took a short pass from Brad Boyes and beat Rask with a shot from the slot.
Boston tied it on Bergeron's score at 7:29. Winger Marchand fed a pass from along the boards to Bergeron at the left circle. He then spun around quickly and fired a rising shot over Luongo's left shoulder inside the far post.
Florida's Rocco Grimaldi hit the post with a shot from in close early in the third.
Luongo kept the game tied by making a sprawling right pad stop on Marchand at the end of a 2-on-1 break late in the second.
The fans were waiting for a chance to welcome Thronton back. There were numerous "Thornton No. 22" Bruins jerseys in the stands and signs, with one reading "We Miss You" and his picture attached. He got a loud ovation when he was announced in the starting lineup.
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