Boston Bruins Face Elimination After Controversial Game 4 Loss to Florida Panthers
On the cusp of elimination, the Boston Bruins suffered a third consecutive playoff defeat against the Florida Panthers. The 3-2 loss in Game 4 at TD Garden on Sunday night was marked by another contentious no-call that unfavorably impacted the Bruins, with the focus once again centering around Florida's Sam Bennett.
Leading into Game 4, Bennett had already stirred controversy in Boston following a highly questionable hit, including a sucker punch on Brad Marchand during Game 3. Marchand's absence in Game 4 due to an upper-body injury left the Bruins without their captain.
During the early stages of the third period, Bennett found himself embroiled in controversy once more when he scored a game-tying goal, seemingly after pushing Charlie Coyle into Jeremy Swayman, impeding the Boston goaltender.
As the Panthers pressed on a power play and mounted an offensive in the Boston zone with a crowded net in front of Swayman, Bennett forcefully checked Coyle from behind, causing Coyle to collide with Swayman. Subsequently, Bennett capitalized on a rebound, exploiting an open net to equalize the game at 2-2.
Amid immediate protests from the Bruins, head coach Jim Montgomery challenged the call, emphasizing that Bennett's actions constituted goaltender interference by cross-checking Coyle into Swayman, thus obstructing the goalie's ability to intervene. The contentious play left a clear impression of interference, prompting expectations for a decisive call.
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