Panthers author monumental upset, eliminate Bruins in Game 7 - ESPN

BOSTON — The Boston Bruins, who set new NHL records for regular-season success, have been eliminated in the Stanley Cup playoffs' opening round after a 4-3 Game 7 overtime win by the Florida Panthers on Sunday night.

Winger Carter Verhaeghe's goal 8:35 into overtime sent the Panthers into a wild celebration and left Bruins fans in stunned silence.

Florida's Sam Bennett fought hard on the forecheck to move the puck to Verhaeghe. With Matthew Tkachuk screening goalie Jeremy Swayman, Verhaeghe found room to score his second of the series.

Florida advances to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round. The Leafs eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, winning their first playoff series since 2004.

The Panthers completed a rally from being down 3-1 in the series, winning three straight games to eliminate Boston. They rallied to force overtime on a goal by defenseman Brandon Montour with a minute left in regulation.

The 2022-23 Bruins were the most successful regular-season team in NHL history, setting new league records for wins (65) and points (135) in a single season. But with that success came the unique pressure of going wire-to-wire as the NHL's best. As winger Brad Marchand told ESPN in March: «It's not about the regular season. If you win the Presidents' Trophy but you don't win the Cup, nobody cares. That's what we know on this team.»

To that end, Boston also had to battle the NHL's «Presidents' Trophy curse,» as the best regular-season team historically underwhelms in the postseason. Since the 1985-86 season when the trophy was first awarded, 11 regular-season champs made the Stanley Cup Final with eight of them winning. No Presidents' Trophy winner has advanced to the Stanley Cup Final since the NHL