Brad Marchand Places Blame After Bruins Heartbreaking Opening-Round Loss

This season, the Bruins accomplished what no other team in the NHL has ever done, and when it ended in a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Panthers, Brad Marchand knew who to place the blame on.

Everything was going the way Boston wanted after the team left Florida after game four with a 3-1 series lead. However, there was one moment that turned out to be the ultimate turning point, Marchand's breakaway in a tied game five at TD Garden, with just seconds remaining.

The Panthers eventually staved off elimination in the game five overtime and game six back in Sunrise to force a game seven (we all know what happened next).

Although Boston had the best regular season in league history, this team may only be remembered for the epic collapse in the opening round.

The veteran Marchand is well aware of that, too, as no matter how special their season was, not ending it with a Stanley Cup is clearly somewhat of a failure.

''At the end of the day, you play in the regular season to get a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs to play for a cup. That's the goal every year to play for a Cup, not to dominate the regular season.''

''Special what we built and what we were able to do together, but we fell short of our goal.''

When it comes down to it, you have to give credit where it's due, and that's to the Florida Panthers. They found and exploited the Bruins' weaknesses, while the duo of Sergei Bobrovsky and Alex Lyon outduelled the Jennings Trophy-winning tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman.

Previously on Bruins Insider

Jack Edwards Shares What is Possibly Bergeron's Final Minutes With All of Bruins Nation

Patrice Bergeron Shares Terrible Injury He Played Through

An Emotional Patrice Bergeron Discusses His Future With Bruins

NHL players in this story
Brad Marchand
Sergei Bobrovsky
Linus Ullmark
Alex Lyon
Jeremy Swayman

POLL
1 MAI \| 549 ANSWERS Brad Marchand Places Blame After Bruins Heartbreaking Opening-Round Loss Would you blame anybody for the Bruins loss to the Panthers?
Coaching	238	43.4 %
Goaltending	78	14.2 %
Forwards/Defensemen	100	18.2 %
No. Credit to Florida	133	24.2 %
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