BOSTON — The Boston Bruins will look to take a 2-0 series lead over the Florida Panthers when the two teams meet again in Boston Wednesday night.
The B's were able to take Game 1 in their opening playoff series Monday night 3-1.
While there are plenty of familiar faces on this record-breaking Bruins team, one of the newest players learned to play hockey here in Maine.
Garnet Hathaway was traded to Boston from the Washington Capitals this season. He is from Kennebunkport and was a standout goal scorer at Cheverus High School.
Hathaway fits the traditional 'Big Bad Bruins' mantra as the forward is never shy about tossing his body around the ice.
According to first-year Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, Hathaway will be back in the lineup Wednesday.
Montgomery is probably best known in Maine for being the captain of the University of Maine 1993 national championship team. In his first year behind the bench in Boston, he helped lead the Bruins to the most wins and points in NHL regular season history.
“[He has] this positive, encouraging, great attitude, with not just with his players, but with everyone that’s in the organization," NESN Studio Host and Reporter Sophia Jurksztowicz said this week.
Jurksztowicz has had an up-close look at this team all season and said she could sense this year was going to be different right away as the team came together in the locker room, and it translated to good play on the ice.
Hathaway and other Bruins had a personal introduction to former UMaine Black Bear Ryan Lomberg Monday night. Lomberg played two years in Orono and is a forward for the Florida Panthers.
Fellow former Black Bear Jeremy Swayman was one of the best goalies in college hockey during his time on campus and had one of the best statistical seasons in the NHL this year for the Bruins.
But Montgomery said Wednesday that Linus Ullmark will make the start in net for Boston. So, Swayman will have to wait to make his 2023 postseason debut.
Outside of this matchup, some other former UMaine standouts are looking for the Stanley Cup.
Former UMaine star Gustav Nyquist was traded to the Minnesota Wild this season and is looking to help his new team advance past the Dallas Stars. Through three games this postseason, Nyquist has tallied four assists.
Devin Shore was a healthy scratch during the Edmonton Oilers' Game 1 loss against the Los Angeles Kings Monday. Shore was in Orono at the same time as Lomberg and Las Vegas Knights defensemen Ben Hutton.
Hutton was also a healthy scratch during the Knights' Game 1 loss against the Winnipeg Jets.
Yarmouth Native, and former internet sensation, Oliver Wahlstrom will be watching the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the stands this year after he suffered a season-ending injury playing for the New York Islanders.
The Islanders look to even up their series against the Carolina Hurricanes Wednesday night.
The Bruins and Panthers will drop the puck at 7:30 Wednesday night.