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Bruins break six-game losing streak in dramatic fashion
Jan
Bruins
Boston showed resilience after allowing a last-second tying goal in regulation.
The Bruins finally got their first win in 2025 on Saturday, beating the Panthers in dramatic fashion and ending a six-game losing streak dating back to New Year’s Eve.
David Pastranak sealed the deal in the waning moments of overtime, avoiding a shootout and giving the Bruins an extra point in the standings.
Here are three takeaways from the win.
The Bruins finally showed some fight.
Trying to protect a lead late in the third period, disaster struck the Bruins in the final minute of regulation Saturday.
Boston was inches away from sealing the deal against the Panthers prior to the overtime period, firing a shot off the post against Florida’s empty net. The Panthers capitalized on that opportunity and netted the tying goal with less than three seconds on the clock.
Just like that, it looked like another collapse for the Bruins.
Except Saturday brought a different result. Boston didn’t just roll over or deflate at the sight of the heartbreaking goal. Instead, it reloaded for overtime and didn’t settle for taking the defending Stanley Cup champions to a shootout. The Bruins fired right back with a heartbreaking goal of their own, courtesy of Pastrnak.
The Bruins haven’t had a performance like that yet in 2025, especially against the top teams in the NHL. For example, earlier in the week Boston faced off against last year’s other Stanley Cup finalist, the Edmonton Oilers, and were shut out 4-0 at home.
Maybe Saturday’s game can be a building block for the Bruins, who are still hanging around the Eastern Conference playoff picture despite multiple rough patches and a coaching change.
Jeremy Swayman needed a game like Saturday.
Jeremy Swayman’s first season since inking his contract extension hasn’t gone particularly well, but Saturday provided an example of exactly what the Bruins hoped to get out of him as their star goaltender.
Swayman made 43 saves in the 4-3 win, good enough for a .930 save percentage in a game when Boston desperately needed Swayman. The Bruins’ defense was severely outmatched on Saturday, allowing over 100 total shot attempts to Florida. Swayman was under duress all game long, and stood tall to give his team a shot at the win.
The Panthers had an expected goal rate of 5.75 on Saturday, so Swayman certainly made an impact on the contest. His save percentage is now .918 in the last seven games, vastly improved from his early season struggles.
David Pastrnak was heating up. Now, he’s on fire.
David Pastrnak has been heating up for some time, even if the results on ice weren’t leaning in Boston’s favor. After another multi-goal day, it’s safe to say the Bruins superstar is on fire.
Known primarily for his goal-scoring, Pastrnak hadn’t achieved a multi-goal game all season until Jan. 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the last seven days, he has three multi-goal games.
In fairness to those around him, Pastrnak was given plenty of help on Saturday. His first goal of the night came off a beautiful find and feed from Morgan Geekie. Pastrnak only had to tap the puck in on the back post to give Boston a 2-1 lead.
The overtime goal came off a funky deflection off a Panthers stick, but when a player is hot, the puck usually seems to take some favorable bounces, and the pucks are all bouncing in Pastrnak’s favor lately.
Pastrnak now has six goals in his last five games and 19 goals on the season.
Boston will look to build on its win on Tuesday when it faces off against the Lightning. Tampa Bay handed the Bruins a 4-1 loss on Thursday night.
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