Bruins defeat Panthers 3-1 for Game 1 victory

BOSTON, MA — One down, 15 to go. 

The Boston Bruins took care of business in game one of the Eastern Conference Playoffs with a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers at TD Garden. 

David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk all scored for the Bruins Linus Ullmark finished with 31 saves on 32 shots for the dub.

Boston won the game despite playing without their captain Patrice Bergeron who sat out with a stomach ailment that has been running through the Bruins locker room. 

Pastrnak got things started with a power play goal in the first on a slick feed from Tyler Bertuzzi. The Bruins could have easily led by 3 or 4 goals if not for the work by Panthers goalie Alex Lyon who stopped Dmitry Orlov, Tyler Bertuzzi and Trent Frederic on point blank chance all in the first. 

Brad Marchand pushed it to a two-goal cushion 3:41 into the second on a wrister that broke through Lyon’s glove. The Panthers fought back with a goal from Matthew Tkachuk off a turnover off the skate of Dmitry Orlov. 

The Bruins regained the two-goal cushion on a garbage goal from Jake DeBrusk at 17:32 of the second. Bertuzzi notched his second assist of the game. 

The Bruins kept it that way in the third locking up the 3-1 win to take a 1-0 series lead. Game  is Wednesday at TD Garden.