The Florida Panthers made a triumphant win against the Utah Hockey Club, 2-1, at Amerant Bank Arena. And what a spectacle we witnessed, that of Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett. A perfect assist and dominance from the OG Brad earned them the grand win. And what keeps it on another check is that it’s Florida’s first game with Marchand. And it’s an impressive debut to be cherished in and out. Back on March 8, Brad was traded to the Florida Panthers. He was suffering an upper-body injury and therefore took a hiatus from playing, but now he’s hit it; he is hitting it like the champion he’s been.

Bennett, speaking on Brad’s play, said, “He hasn’t played for a month now and he steps right in and is dominating and controlling the game,” adding that Brad is an excellent fit in the team. Bennett said, “That’s tough to do in your first game back, especially on a new team. I think he’s going to fit here real, real nice.” Marchand dedicated 16 years of his life to the Boston Bruins; his goodbye to the team has been one of the most heartbreaking moments for the fans. Brad, however, wanted to stay with the Bruins, but as reports say, the officials were not ready to negotiate with Brad’s demands.

Given that, Brad Marchand got traded to Florida. And it looks like things are pretty much on check, given his debut play with his new team. What’s more? The Florida Panthers is quite welcoming of the veteran player. And Brad, too, feels it in his nerves.

Post the match, Brad was speaking to the reporters. There, he opened up about his transition to the Florida Panthers and how it has been for him so far. We hear Brad stating, “Enjoy, yeah. Um, you know, that’s just how I am, and uh, you know, I’m not going to change now, but it’s a great group to do that in. There’s a lot of banter in the room, and you see why they’ve had so much success the last few years with how close they are and the way that they work and compete every day. You know, and when you have a group like that, they accept people in and, uh, make them feel part of the group really quickly.” Yes, and we heard it from Sam Benett above, his praises for Marchand.

The latter also praised his new teammate, Bennett, for his game. Brad Marchand said, “He made a great play. It is great to get the win, be part of that with the guys. It’s nice to get out there and feel like you’re part of it.” But while the Brad-Florida equation is getting better, soon after the debut, we see the Bruins deteriorating in their performance ever since Brad left. Brad takes a subtle dig at the Boston Bruins as he debuts with the Florida Panthers, ensuring that he shall not ‘change’ right now, and makes it clear that he’s always “adaptable.” Well, that makes us recall Brad; for so many years, he agreed to team-friendly contracts until this time, when he asked for what he actually deserved.

The Boston Bruins faces back-to-back losses even after a fresh roster lineup after letting go of Brad Marchand

The Boston Bruins got their seventh consecutive loss, with a 6-2. Like the others did in the previous games, the Anaheim Ducks lambasted the newly rostered team right after Brad left. Before the Ducks, they lost 7-2 and accepted a defeat at the hands of the Kings. The Bruins currently sit in the seventh spot in the Atlantic Division. The losing streak is getting in the way of the Bruins, especially after they let go of Marchand.

The Bruins’ interim head coach, Joe Sacco, kept it straight and upright, urging the team to buckle up if they are willing to end these losses. He said, “The commitment to our checking game, that’s the bottom line.” Post the disastrous game with the Ducks, he added, “Our play away from the puck, I know we’re not scoring goals, but you’re not going to win in this league when you give up five, six goals a night. It’s impossible until we get more of a commitment to our checking game, manage the puck better. We understand the situation (we’re in), but there’s still no excuse for giving up easy offense like that,” as NESN quotes. And the situation is such that the team has distanced itself from the playoffs.

With Brad leaving, the captain, we can see the struggles the Boston Bruins are facing. The frustration gets a bit intense too amongst the fans and the fraternity. But on the other hand, we see Brad Marchand shining with his sprawling wings.