B's Home Winning Streak Snapped

BOSTON - The Bruins were unbeatable on Causeway Street for nearly two months. On Saturday afternoon, they were anything but.
Boston had its 12-game home winning streak and 14-game home points streak snapped with a 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers at TD Garden. The Bruins had not dropped a home game since a 3-2 overtime defeat to Philadelphia on Jan. 31 and had not fallen in regulation since before the bye week, a 3-2 setback against the New York Rangers on Jan. 19.
"This was a team loss, a total team loss today, in my estimation," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, whose team holds the second-best home record (29-8-3) in the NHL. "We just were not crisp with the puck. Another day, if we had a little more puck luck, we might squeeze a point or two or get a win, but we certainly wouldn't walk away and say, 'Boy, this was one of our better ones,' no matter how this turned out today."

The Bruins were down 2-0 after one period, but pulled back within a goal when Noel Acciari whacked home his sixth of the year with 6:48 to go in the middle frame. Boston appeared poised to tie the game when they were awarded a power play just seconds later, but the Panthers responded with Troy Brouwer's shorthanded tally to regain a two-goal advantage 1:07 after Acciari's marker.
"I had a bad read because I thought I might have had the chance to play it," said Tuukka Rask. "And then I was just way out of the net and it was a nice move. But that's one of those things, one of the shots, that you would like to have saved, especially in a 2-1 game on a power play. But I didn't and that's it. Hopefully next time I will."
Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand also had their individual 17-game home point streaks snapped. Their lines over that span: Bergeron (11-14-25); Marchand (11-22-33).

No Time to Dwell

Boston will be right back at it on Sunday night in Detroit as they close out their final back-to-back set of the season.
"Quick turnaround," said Acciari, who has three goals and five points in his last eight games. "Got to get rest tonight and continue with our type of play."
Cassidy said before the game that he expects defenseman Kevan Miller, out since Feb. 23 with an upper-body injury, to be back in the lineup. Jaroslav Halak will get the start in goal.

Seventh Heaven

Chris Wagner can appreciate NESN's 7th Player Award as much as anyone in the Bruins dressing room. The Walpole native recalled watching as a young child when the award was handed out to goalie Blaine Lacher in 1994-95.
"It was one of the first games I remember," said Wagner.
Now, his name is on the list. Wagner, clearly a fan favorite in his first season with the Black & Gold, was named this year's winner during a pregame ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
Signed to a two-year, $2.5 million deal on July 1, the 27-year-old has already registered career highs in goals (12) and points (18), while carving out an important role within Boston's bottom six.
"To get the fan support like that my first year home, it really means a lot to me," said Wagner, whose previous highs (7 goals, 16 points) came last season with the Islanders and Ducks.

Back in Action

Matt Grzelcyk was back in the lineup after missing the last eight games with an arm injury. The defenseman was a minus-1 in 13:32 of ice time.
"Rusty, didn't execute like he usually does, so he'll have another opportunity tomorrow to find his game," said Cassidy.

Finding A Groove

Like Grzelcyk, Marcus Johansson is trying to find his game after missing 10 games with a lung contusion. The trade deadline acquisition is also looking to find a home, having played on each of Boston's top three lines in the two contests since his return.
"It doesn't matter who you play with," said Johansson, who started Saturday's game with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. "You just have to go out and do your thing and play hard and things will fall in place…first game took a little bit to get into it, but there's no excuses today. I think we all have to play better, especially me.
"I think I can always speak for myself, I need to play a little bit better, and we need to try and spend more time in the offensive zone."