Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY

A20 SPORTS
Tuesday 10 april 2018
Panthers spoil Bruins' bid for top seed in East

BOSTON (AP) — The Bruins for Florida. 26-6 but only scoring once.
didn't seem like the team Backes and David Pastrnak Pastrnak scored a power-
with the most to gain until it had a goal each for Bos- play goal at 9:54 of the
was too late Sunday night. ton, with Pastrnak cutting third. Pastrnak led the Bru-
Roberto Luongo came off it to 3-2 shortly before Re- ins with 35 goals and had a
the bench to shut down imer was hurt. Tuukka Rask career-high 80 points.
Boston in the third period, made 22 saves. "It has been a tough sched-
and the Florida Panthers "We didn't deserve to win ule for us but that's not an
dashed the Bruins' hopes of and that's the reality," Rask excuse," Pastrnak said. "The
getting the top seed in the said. "I think it's mental, just last few weeks have not
Eastern Conference play- not being sharp enough at been our best."
offs with a 4-2 win. the drop of the puck." Dadonov put the game
The Bruins trailed Tampa After beating the Bruins for away when he scored an
Bay by a point heading into the second time in three insurance goal with 1:49 re-
the regular-season finale games, Florida is headed maining.
but couldn't top a Panthers home despite an impres- "Would have been easy for
team that was eliminated sive 25-8-2 run to end the them to come and in and
from postseason conten- season, including winning shut it down but it's a com-
tion Saturday. their last five. petitive league," Bruins for-
"You would have hoped the "It's disappointing. We were ward Brad Marchand said.
urgency would have been Florida Panthers' Evgenii Dadonov (63) is congratulated by Aar- really hoping that we'd get Boston had been unbeat-
there with an opportunity on Ekblad after he scored against the Boston Bruins during the a little help from some oth- en in regulation over its last
third period of Florida's 4-2 win in an NHL hockey game in Boston
to win the division," Bruins Sunday, April 8, 2018. er teams and maybe get 11 home games and had
forward David Backes said. Associated Press in," Panthers forward Vin- beaten Florida in 12 of 13
"We had it in the third, but cent Trocheck said. "I think overall.
needed it right from the get against the Bruins in the over the last 8:07. The pair there's a lot of teams that Boston lost in the first round
go." regular season. combined to make 41 didn't want to play us if we last year to Ottawa in six
Boston will host the Toron- Florida starter James Re- saves. did make it in." games after failing to make
to Maple Leafs in the first imer left in the third with an Henrik Borgstrom, Frank Va- Trailing 3-1 heading into the the playoffs the two previ-
round beginning Thursday injury, and Luongo came trano, Maxim Mamin and third, Boston made a furious ous seasons.
night. The Leafs were 3-1 in and stopped eight shots Evgenii Dadonov scored surge, outshooting Florida q