Brad Marchand’s emotional return to Boston was capped with two assists and a dramatic 4-3 Florida Panthers victory over the Bruins, sealed by Carter Verhaeghe’s last-minute goal on Tuesday night. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the defending Stanley Cup champions, while Boston extended its skid to five games.
Marchand, traded from Boston to Florida last March after 16 seasons with the Bruins, received multiple standing ovations from the TD Garden crowd, including an emotional tribute during the first television timeout. The 37-year-old forward waved to fans and tapped his heart, visibly moved by the reception in a city where he won the Stanley Cup in 2011 and became a franchise icon.
The game began with Marchand immediately making an impact, drawing a tripping penalty just 33 seconds into the first period. On the ensuing power play, he assisted on Mackie Samoskevich’s goal, giving Florida an early 1-0 lead and helping settle nerves in his highly anticipated return. Marchand later noted that getting involved early allowed him to focus on the game rather than the emotions of the moment.
Florida extended its advantage in the second period when A.J. Greer beat Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman with a quick wrist shot off a face-off win, making it 2-0. The Panthers controlled much of the play through two periods, but Boston mounted a fierce comeback in the third, putting pressure on Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida defense.
Pavel Zacha cut the deficit to 2-1 early in the third period, tapping in a backdoor goal for his second of the season. Just two minutes later, Elias Lindholm tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal, redirecting a David Pastrnak shot past Bobrovsky and energizing the home crowd.
Marchand responded by setting up Eetu Luostarinen for a breakaway goal, giving Florida a 3-2 lead with 10 minutes remaining. His backhand pass from the neutral zone allowed Luostarinen to power past the defense and score his first goal of the season, showcasing Marchand’s playmaking in a critical moment.
With Swayman pulled for an extra attacker, Boston tied the game again when Morgan Geekie scored with 1:31 left, capitalizing on a rebound from a Pastrnak shot. However, Verhaeghe broke the deadlock with 26 seconds remaining, as his shot deflected off the post and then off Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke for the game-winner, a fortunate bounce that secured the Panthers’ victory.
The outcome provided a much-needed boost for Florida, which improved to 4-4-0 on the season, while Boston fell to 3-5-0. Marchand expressed gratitude for the fans’ support and emphasized the importance of the team win, noting that ending the losing streak was the primary focus amid the emotional backdrop of his return to Boston.