Sunrise, Fla. — Jeremy Swayman backed up his victory vow with 28 saves, Charlie McAvoy added to the list of disputed goals in this matchup with the go-ahead score and the Boston Bruins staved off elimination by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 5 of their NHL playoff series on Tuesday night.
Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins, who improved to 2-0 in elimination games this season – they also won a Game 7 over Toronto in Round 1 – and finally found a way to hold the Panthers’ offense in check.
Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots.
Florida – which saw its series lead cut to 3-2 – had 15 goals on 107 shots in Games 2, 3 and 4 combined, all of them Panthers wins. But on Tuesday, the Panthers were held to 29 shots and Swayman looked in total control the whole way.
Game 6 is in Boston on Friday. Game 7, if necessary, would be back in Florida on Sunday.
“The reality is that we’re going to go to Florida and we’re going to play the same game and we’re going to get it done,” Swayman said after Game 4. “I have no doubt in this group. And we have a lot of confidence and a lot of motivation to bring it back to Boston.”
It’s going back to Boston.
Bobrovsky was pulled with 3:05 left, Florida going 6-on-5 in an effort to tie the game but managed to get only three pucks to Swayman the rest of the way.
The Bruins played the second straight game without their captain and leading scorer Brad Marchand, who hasn’t been on the ice since late in the second period of Game 3 because of what Boston is calling an upper-body injury. He was hit by Florida’s Sam Bennett and wound up leaving that game, a play that the Bruins said was dirty and has only added to the intensity of the series.
Down 1-0 in the second, Panthers coach Paul Maurice gathered his team around the Florida bench during a TV timeout and used that stoppage in play to get some thoughts out – at high volume. Red-faced by the time his rant was over, Maurice was pointing animatedly and had the attention of everyone from players to assistant coaches to even the team’s equipment staff.
Message received. Only 11 seconds after play resumed, Reinhart lifted a rebound past Swayman to tie the game at 1-1.
But Boston had the lead again when the second period ended, after McAvoy scored a goal midway through the frame where Florida – just like the Bruins did on a big goal for the Panthers in Game 4 – claimed interference. Boston’s Danton Heinen made contact with Bobrovsky with his stick, but NHL officials in Toronto said it wasn’t enough to take the goal off the board.
Trouba earns Messier Leadership Award
From one former New York Rangers to a current one, Jacob Trouba (Rochester) was selected as the winner of the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, the league announced on Tuesday.
The award winner is selected personally by Messier and presented since 2007 to a player who “exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey.”
Trouba is the first Rangers’ player to earn the honor after helping lead his team to a franchise-best 55 wins and a Presidents’ Trophy for leading the NHL with 114 points. The Rangers hold a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven second-round playoff series against Carolina, with Game 6 at the Hurricanes on Thursday.
On the ice, the second-year captain ranked fourth on the team with a little more than 21 minutes of ice time per game in a two-way role in which Trouba had three goals and 22 points in 69 games, while also playing a key role on the penalty-killing unit. He finished 12th in the league and second on the team in being credited with 183 blocked shots.
Off the ice, the 30-year-old from the University of Michigan has been a staple in promoting the sport by taking part in the Rangers annual weeklong hockey camp for boys and girls. As a budding artist, Trouba also sold prints of his original work to help raise money for the Garden of Dreams Foundation and the city’s Epilepsy Foundation.
He and his wife Kelly, who has epilepsy, founded the Trouba Creative Expressions Art Program to help connect adults with epilepsy and seizures with art therapist. The couple also took part in promoting the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative to encourage people to get regular screenings.
Avalanche forge ahead without Nichushkin
The nameplate above the locker for Valeri Nichushkin has already been removed at the Colorado Avalanche’s practice facility.
It could be just for now – or possibly for good.
For a second consecutive year, the Avalanche are on the brink of elimination from the playoffs with Nichushkin, one of their top players, unavailable due to circumstances away from the ice.
This may be the last straw for the Avs when it comes to the talented 29-year-old Russian forward.
Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay Monday night and placed in stage 3 of the league’s player assistance program. The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced the news about an hour before the start of the Avalanche’s 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars that left them trailing 3-1 in the second-round series.
Coach Jared Bednar refused to blame the loss on the absence of the team’s leading playoff scorer. After all, Colorado had been without Nichushkin earlier this season when he was receiving care; his return had buoyed Colorado, but stage 3 means he violated terms of the program, which provides help for everything from mental health needs to substance abuse.
Nichushkin will miss the rest of the postseason and the first month next season at a minimum.
Teammates heard word of his suspension at various times throughout the day. They were out of rhythm early in Game 4, outshot by a 16-2 margin in the first period and could never get on track. They must win Wednesday in Dallas to avoid elimination in the best-of-seven series.
“Obviously, tough for him, his family,” Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon said Tuesday after an optional practice, adding he was given the Nichushkin news from president Joe Sakic and general manager Chris MacFarland. “That’s all I’m going to say on that.”
Details of Nichushkin’s struggles have not been disclosed. In a first-round playoff series last spring against Seattle, Nichushkin abruptly left the team and missed the final five games of the postseason as the Avalanche lost the series 4-3.
In this postseason run, Nichushkin has been a valuable contributor with a team-leading nine playoff goals. He is under contract through the 2029-30 season after signing an eight-year, $49 million contract with the Avalanche in 2022.
There’s no telling precisely when – or if – Nichushkin will be back. If he returns, how does he earn back the trust of teammates after they already gave him another chance?
“Val is obviously struggling with something,” Bednar said. ”Yeah, it sucks for our team. We’ve got to turn the page.
“I want him to be happy and I want him to be content in his life, whether that is with our team or not with our team,” Bednar added. “We hope that he can find some peace and get help.”
Oilers making goalie change
The Edmonton Oilers will start ex-Red Wing goalie Calvin Pickard in net for Game 4 of their playoff series with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
The 32-year-old journeyman netminder replaces Stuart Skinner, who was pulled in the third period of Edmonton’s 4-3 loss to Vancouver on Sunday after giving up four goals on 15 shots.
Edmonton trails Vancouver 2-1 in the best-of-seven second-round playoff series.
“I’m expecting what I’ve seen from Calvin all season – a goaltender who’s competed very hard, played very well for us and piled up a lot of victories,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said of the change.
“It’s not an ideal situation, he hasn’t been playing for a long time. But he’s gone long stretches without playing and I think the team has a lot of confidence in Calvin when he has played. And he’s going to be our guy.”
Pickard is making his first start in the NHL playoffs after making 20 appearances for the Oilers in the regular season. He went 12-7-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage.
“It’s exciting, obviously. All you can ask for is an opportunity in the Stanley Cup playoffs,” Pickard said after the morning skate Tuesday. “I felt like I had a good season and the preparation’s done. I’m excited to get out there.”
Pickard signed with the Oilers as a free agent in July 2022 and has spent much of his tenure with the organization playing for the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League.
Pickard said making it to a playoff start hasn’t been easy.
“I know I can play at this level and this year I proved it to myself and everybody around me,” he said. “It’s a really good opportunity for me tonight and I feel like I’m ready.”
Eastern Conference playoff matchups
Second round
Eastern Conference
Carolina vs. N.Y. Rangers
(Rangers lead 3-2)
▶ Game 1: Rangers 4-3
▶ Game 2: Rangers 4-3 (2OT)
▶ Game 3: Rangers 3-2 (OT)
▶ Game 4: Hurricanes 4-3
▶ Game 5: Hurricanes 4-1
▶ Game 6: Thursday @ Carolina, TBA
▶ Game 7: Saturday @ New York, TBA
Boston vs. Florida
(Panthers lead 3-2)
▶ Game 1: Boston 5-1
▶ Game 2: Florida 6-1
▶ Game 3: Florida 6-2
▶ Game 4: Florida 3-2
▶ Game 5: Boston 2-1
▶ Game 6: Friday @ Boston, TBA
▶ Game 7: Sunday @ Florida, TBA
Western Conference
Colorado vs. Dallas
(Stars lead 3-1)
▶ Game 1: Avalanche 4-3 (OT)
▶ Game 2: Stars 5-3
▶ Game 3: Stars 4-1
▶ Game 4: Stars 5-1
▶ Game 5: Wednesday @ Dallas, TBA
▶ Game 6: Friday @ Colorado, TBA
▶ Game 7: Sunday @ Dallas
Edmonton vs. Vancouver
(Canucks lead 2-1)
▶ Game 1: Canucks 5-4
▶ Game 2: Oilers 4-3 (OT)
▶ Game 3: Canucks 4-3
▶ Game 4: Tuesday @ Edmonton, 9:30
▶ Game 5: Thursday @ Vancouver, TBA
▶ Game 6: Saturday @ Edmonton, TBA
▶ Game 7: Monday @ Vancouver, TBA
American Hockey League playoffs
Central Division final
Grand Rapids vs. Milwaukee
(Best-of-five series)
▶ Game 1: Wednesday at Milwaukee, 8
▶ Game 2: Monday, May 20 @ Milwaukee, 8
▶ Game 3: Wednesday, May 22 @ Grand Rapids, 7
▶ Game 4: Friday, May 24 at Grand Rapids, 7
▶ Game 5: Sunday, May 26 @ Milwaukee, 6
ECHL
Western Conference Final
Toledo vs. Kansas City
(Best-of-seven series)
▶ Game 1: Friday @ Toledo, 7:15
▶ Game 2: Saturday @ Toledo, 7:15
▶ Game 3: Monday, May 20 @ Toledo, 7:15
▶ Game 4: Friday, May 24 @ Kansas City, 8:05
▶ Game 5: Saturday, May 25 @ Kansas City, 8:05
▶ Game 6: Monday, May 27 @ Kansas City, 5:05
▶ Game 7: Wednesday, May 29 @ Kansas City, 8:05
Road to the Memorial Cup in Saginaw
(Saginaw hosts May 24-June 2)
▶ Friday, May 24: WHL vs. Saginaw, 7:30
▶ Saturday, May 25: OHL vs. QMJHL, 4
▶ Sunday, May 26: Saginaw vs. QMJHL, 7:30
▶ Monday, May 27: OHL vs. WHL, 7:30
▶ Tuesday, May 28: QMJHL vs. WHL, 7:30
▶ Wednesday, May 29: Saginaw vs. OHL, 7:30
▶ Thursday, May 30: Tie breaker (if necessary)
▶ Friday, May 31: Semifinal, 7:30
▶ Sunday, June 2: Final, 7:30
CHL finals in WHL, OHL, QMJHL
Western Hockey League
Moose Jaw vs. Portland
(Moose Jaw leads 2-0)
▶ Game 1: Moose Jaw, 3-2
▶ Game 2: Moose Jaw, 5-1
▶ Game 3: Tuesday @ Moose Jaw
▶ Game 4: Wednesday @ Moose Jaw
▶ Game 5: Friday @ Moose Jaw
▶ Game 6: Sunday @ Portland
▶ Game 7: Monday @ Portland
Ontario Hockey League
Oshawa vs. London
(London leads 3-0)
▶ Game 1: London, 8-1
▶ Game 2: London, 9-1
▶ Game 3: London 7-6 (2OT)
▶ Game 4: Wednesday @ Oshawa
▶ Game 5: Friday @ London
▶ Game 6: Sunday @ Oshawa
▶ Game 7: Monday @ London
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Baie-Comeau vs. Drummondville
(Drummondville leads 3-0)
▶ Game 1: Drummondville, 5-0
▶ Game 2: Drummondville, 1-0 (OT)
▶ Game 3: Drummondville 6-2
▶ Game 4: Tuesday @ Drummondville
▶ Game 5: Thursday @ Baie-Comeau
▶ Game 6: Saturday @ Drummondville
▶ Game 7: Tuesday @ Baie-Comeau
