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04/02 20:59 CDT Two-time Stanley Cup champion Panthers avoid playoff elimination with 2-1 win over Bruins Two-time Stanley Cup champion Panthers avoid playoff elimination with 2-1 win over Bruins SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) --- Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 15 saves in the third period and 28 overall as the Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday night. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers avoided elimination from the playoffs with the win. Florida got first-period goals from Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett in their second straight win. Boston, which had won four straight, got a goal from Fraser Minten. Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves in the loss. The Panthers also used a fast start in a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night, scoring five goals in the opening period. Samoskevich opened the scoring with his third goal in as many games when he intercepted a pass deep in the offensive zone and sent a wrist shot past Swayman. Bennett made it 2-0 at 7:39 of the first, scoring from the slot. Boston pulled to within a goal in the closing minute of the first period. The Bruins put two shots on Bobrovsky near the front of the net, and the puck squirted out along the goal line right to where Minten was all alone. Minten had plenty of time to grab the puck, put it on his backhand, and beat a sprawled out Bobrovsky to make it 2-1 with 27 seconds left in the period. Bobrovsky, who has won five of his past seven starts, had a big challenge in the third, but held strong. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers avoided elimination from the playoffs with Thursday's win.

Up next Bruins: At Tampa Bay on Saturday. Panthers: At Pittsburgh on Saturday. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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