SUNRISE, Fla. _ Through all the injuries and inconsistent performances, the Panthers found themselves only two points out of playoff position as they concluded a stretch of eight out of nine games on home ice.
One small step to the promised land in the NHL, but a giant obstacle in their path Saturday at the BB&T Center.
The Boston Bruins have been the primary Panthers nemesis the past few years, winning eight of the previous meetings including three this season.
"Everybody has one, I think, that have your number," Panthers coach Tom Rowe said prior to the game. "We've got to get this mental block out of our head and we've got to get over the hump."
Instead, they were unceremoniously dumped again, 4-0, led by familiar tormenters Brad Marchand and Tuukka Rask. The Bruins have now had Florida's number four times this season, including all three meetings at the BB&T Center, with one remaining at Boston.
More notable numbers: Marchand scored twice, including a short-hander, and has 15 goals in 28 games against the Panthers. Rask, who turns the net into a fortress whenever he faces the Panthers, made 25 saves to improve to 19-3-1 against them.
Despite Boston's dominance, the Panthers began the night only two points behind the Bruins, who were among three teams with 44 points in a virtual tie for second in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins have had their troubles lately, coming in on a two-game skid and 5-7-3 over their previous 15 games.
James Reimer, playing on back-to-back nights for the first time as a Panther because of the upper-body injury to Roberto Luongo during Friday's warm-ups, didn't get the support he received the night before in a tight team effort in defeating Nashville. (Luongo will be on the upcoming trip and may play as soon as Monday at New Jersey).
This was Reimer's fourth start since Dec. 29. He was 2-0-1 in those previous three games, including a 28-save performance in Friday's victory.
"He's been great," Rowe said of Reimer before the game. "I think he had one bad game in Toronto. Other than that he's been terrific."
Reimer played well enough, but the Bruins' early short-handed goal blunted a strong start by the Panthers in a bid to build on their success of the previous night.
Florida got the first power play chance, but the Bruins' second-ranked penalty killing unit turned it to their advantage when Marchand took the puck way from Keith Yandle and scored the shortie on a breakaway at 12:48 of the first period.
Marchand sparked the Bruins' Nov. 1 win at the BB&T Center by scoring on a penalty shot against Luongo. Like on the penalty shot, Marchand scored on a backhand, banking it in off the post around Reimer's outstretched pad.
The Panthers had a chance to get even almost immediately when the power play turned into a 5-on-3, but they didn't get a shot off during 44 seconds with a two-man advantage. The Bruins had killed off 23 of 25 penalties in their previous seven games, and they continued the trend in frustrating Florida.
The Panthers challenged Rask early with several scoring chances, but the unflappable Finn gave indication he would be his usual impenetrable self when he thwarted Jaromir Jagr in the opening minute.
Although shots were virtually even, the Bruins were beginning to assert their will by the end of the period. Just over 4 minutes into the second they made it 2-0 when David Backes, in his return from missing three games with a concussion, deflected David Krejci's long slap shot in between Reimer's legs.
Meanwhile, Rask continued to turn away the Panthers' best efforts, including a sliding stop on another good chance by Jagr cutting across in front of the goal.
Marchand would get his second goal 19 seconds into a power play with Paul Thompson off for slashing. Reimer made the initial save on Torey Krug's slap shot, but the puck caromed to Marchand, who had an easy pot-shot from the right of the net.
Riley Nash put it away when he beat Reimer on the short side on a sharp angle from behind the goal line 4:59 into the third period.
Injuries continued to mount for the Panthers. Forward Greg McKegg, who had goals in the previous two games, left in the second period with a lower-body injury.
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