Schedule and 2022-23 Results:
Regular Season Records: Boston 65-12-5=135pts, Florida 42-32-8=92pts
Game 1 on Monday, 17 April: Florida loses at Boston, 3-goals-1
Game 2 on Wednesday, 19 April: Florida wins at Boston, 6-goals-3
Game 3 on Friday, 21 April: Boston wins at Florida, 4-goals-2
Game 4 on Sunday, 23 April: Boston wins at Florida, 6-goals-2
Game 5 on Wednesday, 26 April: Florida wins at Boston, 4-goals-3(OT)
Game 6 on Friday, 28 April: Boston loses at Florida, 7-goals-5
Game 7 on Sunday, 30 April: Florida wins at Boston, 4-goals-3(OT)

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: The Florida Panthers visited and defeated the Boston Bruins 4-goals-3(OT) to complete a 4-games-3 best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1518 victory. With the series 1518 win, the Florida Panthers improve their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record to 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Preliminary round. With the series 1518 loss, the Boston Bruins see their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record fall to 54-55 overall and 16-13 in the Preliminary round. The win order for the victorious Florida Panthers in series 1518 was LWLLWWW: Series 1518 thus becomes the eleventh NHL Preliminary-round series, the 13th NHL series (all rounds), and the 26th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow that win order to completion. The Florida Panthers trailed the host Boston Bruins by one goal as late as 18:59 into the third period of series 1518 Game 7, but prevailed: In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff games from 1939 through 2022, inclusive, road teams down one goal as late as 18:59 into the third period had a game record of only 25-676 (.036) - the Florida Panthers thus achieve a grade-A in-game comeback. In terms of best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoffs, the series 1518 Game 7 loss by the Boston Bruins marks their leading 300th game loss, their leading fifteenth Game 7 loss irrespective of site, and their leading tenth Game 7 loss on home ice. In terms of best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoffs, the series 1518 loss by the Boston Bruins marks their leading 55th series loss. In terms of regular-season point differential, series 1518 marks the largest best-of-7 NHL playoff series upset ever, in that the Florida Panthers trailed the Boston Bruins by 43 regular-season points but defeated the Bruins. The previous largest such upset occurred in series 580, in which the old Minnesota North Stars trailed the Chicago Blackhawks by 38 regular-season points but defeated the Blackhawks in their 1991 NHL Preliminary-round series. The equivalent largest such upset in best-of-7 NBA playoff series history occurred in series 1009, in which the Golden State Warriors trailed the Dallas Mavericks by 25 regular-season games (the equivalent of 50 points) but defeated Dallas in their 2007 NBA Preliminary-round series. The equivalent largest such upset in best-of-7 MLB playoff series history occurred in series 2, in which the Chicago White Sox trailed the Chicago Cubs by 22.5 regular-season games (the equivalent of 45 points) but defeated the Cubs in the 1906 MLB Finals.

After Game 6: The Florida Panthers hosted and topped the Boston Bruins 7-goals-5 to tie best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1518 at 3-games-all. When tied 3-games-all in a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series, the Boston Bruins have a Game 7 record of 15-14, while the Florida Panthers have a Game 7 record of 1-1. The series 1518 Game 6 loss by the Boston Bruins was their MLB/NBA/NHL-leading 299th game loss in a best-of-7 playoff series. On home ice, the Boston Bruins have a 14-9 Game 7 record in best-of-7 NHL playoff series; on road ice, the Florida Panthers have a 1-0 Game 7 record in best-of-7 NHL playoff series (having defeated the Penguins in Pittsburgh in series 710, in the 1996 NHL Semifinals).

After Game 5: The Florida Panthers visited and topped the Boston Bruins 4-goals-3(OT) to drop the Boston Bruins best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL series 1518 lead to 3-games-2. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 22-5 and a Game 6 record of 11-16. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Florida Panthers have a series record of 1-2 and a Game 6 record of 1-2. Once before did the Boston Bruins open a best-of-7 NHL playoff series with a WLWWL win order: In series 1191, the Bruins did so against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 NHL Preliminary round - Boston lost Game 6 but won Game 7 to win the series.

After Game 4: The Boston Bruins visited and outscored the Florida Panthers 6-goals-2 to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1518 lead of 3-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 21-2 (with an active six-series winning streak) and a Game 5 record of 13-10. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Florida Panthers have a series record of 0-2 and a Game 5 record of 1-1. Irrespective of Games 1-4 outcomes, the Boston Bruins have seen their Game 5 outcome presage their series outcome in their last six such series (two wins, four losses).

After Game 3: The Boston Bruins visited and bested the Florida Panthers 4-goals-2 to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1518 lead of 2-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 24-11 and a Game 4 record of 17-18. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Florida Panthers have a series record of 2-3 and a Game 4 record of 3-2. Leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Boston Bruins have seen their Game 4 outcome presage their series outcome in their last nine such series (five wins, four losses).

After Game 2: The Florida Panthers visited and defeated the Boston Bruins 6-goals-3 to tie best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1518 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 27-20 and a Game 3 record of 24-23, while the Florida Panthers have a series record of 3-3 and a Game 3 record of 2-4. The series 1518 Game 2 loss by the Boston Bruins is the MLB/NBA/NHL-leading 297th best-of-7 playoff game loss by the Boston Bruins.

After Game 1: The Boston Bruins hosted and defeated the Florida Panthers 3-goals-1 to take a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1518 lead of 1-game-nil. When leading a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 38-19 and a Game 2 record of 32-25 (with an active four-Game 2 losing streak). When trailing a best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Florida Panthers have a series record of 1-6 and a Game 2 record of 3-4. With their series 1518 Game 1 loss, the Florida Panthers now have a seven-Game 1 losing streak in best-of-7 NHL playoff series.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2022-23 NHL regular season, the Boston Bruins finished 43 points ahead of the Florida Panthers. From 1939 through the 2022 NHL Finals round, when NHL teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by 43 regular-season points, they have posted a best-of-7 playoff series record of 2-0 (1.000) in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1518 is the 109th best-of-7 NHL playoff series for the Boston Bruins, and the 12th for the Florida Panthers. In best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Boston Bruins have an all-rounds series record of 54-54, a Preliminary-round series record of 16-12, and a Game 1 record of 57-51, while the Florida Panthers have an all-rounds series record of 4-7, a Preliminary-round series record of 2-5, and a Game 1 record of 4-7 (with an active six-Game 1 losing streak). Series 1518 is the second best-of-7 NHL playoff series meeting between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers. In their only previous best-of-7 NHL playoff series meeting, the Florida Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins in five games in the 1996 NHL Preliminary round (in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 701). The 54 best-of-7 playoff series losses by the Boston Bruins are an MLB/NBA/NHL-most in best-of-7 playoff series history. The 51 best-of-7 playoff Game 1 losses by the Boston Bruins are also an MLB/NBA/NHL-most in best-of-7 playoff Game 1 history.