Panthers-Bruins Game 5: Morning skate edition

FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers are back in Sunrise tonight, with a chance to book their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Leading 3-1 in their series against the Bruins, Florida is keeping the same lineup they had for the past two wins in Boston. 

“I don’t think too much changes,” Carter Verhaeghe said going into the elimination game. “We just got to keep on doing what we’re doing and playing the right way, trying to stick to what we do best in our game.”

Both Sam Reinhart and Vladimir Tarasenko remain in the lineup after getting dinged up at the end of Game 4.

Sergei Bobrovsky is set to make his tenth consecutive start of this postseason. 

Going back to last season, the Panthers have won their last two home-ice series clinching games (Carolina 2023, Tampa 2024).

If the Panthers were to close out the series on Tuesday, they’ll face the winner of the Rangers – Hurricanes series (Rangers lead 3-2). 

No matter who wins in the other series, if they advance, the Panthers would begin the Eastern Conference Finals on the road as they finished the season with fewer points than both Carolina and New York.

The Bruins will be without their captain Brad Marchand (upper-body) for a second consecutive game, per Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com.

Projected Lines 

Tarasenko-Barkov-Reinhart

Verhaeghe-Bennett-Tkachuk

Luostarinen-Lundell-Rodrigues

Lorentz-Stenlund-Okposo

Forsling-Ekblad

Mikkola-Montour

OEL-Kulikov

Bobrovsky (Confirmed Starter)

Stolarz

Game 5 is Tuesday, May 14, at 7 p.m.