The Boston Bruins dominated the Florida Panthers on Sunday afternoon in a penalty-filled game, which isn't surprising given the opponent. The Panthers brought out their old tricks, taking liberties with the Bruins' best players, but Nikita Zadorov's fight with Brady Tkachuk off the opening faceoff flipped the script for Boston.
While we all have issues with the minor penalties Zadorov takes, he's most effective in moments like that fight. The Tkachuk brothers don't exactly have the clearest mindframes in games like this, and the fight clearly threw them off from the start. They worried more about getting even with Zadorov than playing the game, and again, unsurprisingly, they were both kicked out before the game was over.
We've seen this too many times over the past few seasons: a game turns physical, the Bruins buy into it, and it throws them off and ends in a losing effort. It was getting to the point where Boston was losing its identity as a team that doesn't get pushed around, but Sunday's result gave hope that it is changing.
Zadorov started it, and Mark Kastelic and Tanner Jeannot calmed things down for the rest of the game, and the Panthers didn't know how to react. If this Bruins team is going to stare down those antics and still dominate, it could mean big things for them this season.
Doubters reaaaaal quiet right now 🤫 pic.twitter.com/mpGSgCQZ1a
— NESN (@NESN) November 8, 2026
One of the most appealing things about the Bruins this season is their ability to win games in so many ways. They've won high-scoring games, low-scoring games, games where they were trailing in the third period, and penalty-filled games. The team can beat you in a lot of ways, and now they've shown they aren't afraid to muck it up with the league's Florida-type teams and stick up for each other.
Charlie McAvoy (assist, +2 rating, 2 hits) on the physicality of today's game:
— NESN (@NESN) November 8, 2026
"I don't know if I've played those guys in YEARS where it hasn't been like that... that's their style... you know what you signed up for when you showed up to the rink today." 👊 pic.twitter.com/6cnImYrc7t
Boston passed the first test of their daunting schedule this week with flying colors, setting up a special Thursday night game at TD Garden with first place in the division on the line against the Montreal Canadiens. With the Xhekaj brothers in the Canadiens' lineup, that one may be more physical, and I can speak for all Bruins fans when I say an important game like that against the old rival has been long overdue.
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