Bruins rally with 3 goals in 3rd, end Panthers' winning streak at 6

The Boston Bruins rallied with three goals in a 7:47 span in the third period and ended the Florida Panthers' six-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory at TD Garden in Boston on Tuesday.

David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist, and Mason Lohrei and Pavel Zacha also scored for the Bruins (30-28-8), who have won two in a row. Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves.

“What we have here is a team, and we need to keep winning," Zacha said. “This is far from over for us.”

Dmitry Kulikov and Mackie Samoskevich scored for the Panthers (40-22-3), who had outscored their opponents 12-1 in their previous four games. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves.

Florida was playing its first game without defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who was suspended 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program on Monday.

“We lost our composure a little bit in the third, and it cost us two points," Bobrovsky said.

Pastrnak cut it to 2-1 with a power-play goal at 8:56 of the third period. He took a centering pass from Casey Mittelstadt as he was cutting across the crease and roofed a shot over Bobrovsky's left leg.

Pastrnak created the power play by drawing a tripping penalty on Seth Jones at 8:22.

“I think the power play got us a big goal, which was nice, because it has been struggling at times,” Boston coach Joe Sacco said. “So, that gave us a lift, and we carried some momentum after that. ... What we did tonight gives our guys some hope and belief.”

It was the first power-play goal Florida had allowed in seven games (22 opportunities).

“I think [Boston] played us as hard as the last two or three teams that we played,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “There are a bunch of teams who are four or five points out, and they’re all right there fighting.”

Lohrei tied it 2-2 at 13:51, intercepting a clearing pass from Kulikov in the high slot and shooting glove side on Bobrovsky.

“Winning is always satisfying," Lohrei said. “It shows a lot of what we have in here. We’re never going to give up. We know where we’re at, and we’re just going to keep fighting."

Zacha gave Boston a 3-2 lead at 16:43. He scored five-hole with a one-timer from the left circle off a backhand pass from Pastrnak through the legs of Samoskevich below the goal line.

“It was a great play from 'Pasta,' who was kind of protecting us back there," Zacha said. "I knew he was looking for me, and I just tried to get open."

Kulikov gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 4:27 of the first period, scoring with a one-timer from the point after Sam Bennett won a face-off directly back to him in the left circle.

Samoskevich made it 2-0 at 4:49 of the third period, burying a one-timer from the left circle off a pass from Jones on a 5-on-3 power play.

“I thought they had a a good push, and we have to be ready next time,” Samoskevich said. “Overall, I think it’s a good thing for our group. These are the kind of games you want to play in, and we will definitely learn from this one. Up two in the third, those are the things you have to do in the playoffs. We have to be harder defensively.”

NOTES: Boston leads the NHL with four multigoal third-period comeback wins this season. ... Pastrnak tied Rick Middleton and Bobby Orr for the third-most 80-point seasons in Bruins history with six. Only Ray Bourque (10) and Phil Esposito (eight) have more.