Brad Marchand made his much-anticipated debut with the Florida Panthers on Friday night and helped lift his new team to an overtime victory.
The former Boston Bruins captain made a sharp pass to old foe Sam Bennett who backhanded the puck into the net for the overtime win against the Utah Hockey Club. It was Marchand’s first point with the Panthers.
The Bruins traded Marchand to their hated rival on March 7. The 36-year-old was used to be being booed by Panthers fans, and admitted it was a little odd to be cheered by them on Friday.
“It kind of hit me going out there, and being cheered by Panthers fans was a lot different,” Marchand told reporters. “But it’s a great feeling. It’s not often you get to be part of a group like this. … You know when you have something special. You know when you walk into a special room and that’s what they have here, and that’s what you want to be a part of.”
Marchand was held without a point in Florida’s 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Here’s how other former Bruins have fared with their new teams:
Brandon Carlo, Toronto Maple Leafs — The former Bruins defenseman has one point in 11 games. Carlo was involved in an old-school heavyweight bout on Saturday against Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Malott. Carlo had a series of hits before the two were sent to the penalty box.
Charlie Coyle, Colorado Avalanche — The former Bruins center and alternate captain has two assists in four games.
Justin Brazeau, Minnesota Wild — Brazeau, who was traded just prior to the trade deadline, has a goal in 12 games for Minnesota. The forward is averaging 8:49 of ice time.
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