Bruins' Charlie Coyle reflects on devastating postseason defeat to Panthers, Stanley Cup ambition in 2024

Charlie Coyle and the Boston Bruins have already secured a playoff spot. They currently lead the Atlantic Division standings with 105 points and are focusing on fine-tuning their game and preparing for the challenges that lie ahead.

The Boston team has recently completed a road trip, winning against challenging opponents like the Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators, and Carolina Hurricanes in the last five games. However, the memory of last year's postseason defeat to the Panthers still haunts them, particularly Charlie Coyle.

Bruins center Charlie Coyle revealed on iHeart Radio's "Sore Losers" podcast that the pain of last year's defeat remains fresh.

“I’ll let you know when it happens," Coyle said. "It still stings. When you don’t win, and especially when you have a good team, or you make it to the finals, and it’s right there … it hurts even more than getting knocked out in four games in the first round.”

Coyle highlighted the bittersweet reality of sports, where opportunities to compete for the Stanley Cup are precious and fleeting. He emphasized the importance of seizing the moment and making the most of each opportunity.

“You realize when you get older and you play more … you don’t play on these good teams every year,” Coyle said. “You want to take advantage of it."

"When you don’t come through and win, it hurts. (…) You can never get it back but that’s why you keep playing. You come back the next year … hopefully, this is the year.”

Last year, they had 65 regular-season wins and were looking strong to win the Stanley Cup. However, their 4-3 series loss to Florida ruined their Stanley Cup dreams. But this time, hopefully, it will provide extra motivation for the Bruins.

The Bruins have won every time they have faced the Panthers this season; maybe it's the grief that has pushed them to level up their game.

Charlie Coyle and Bruins are all set to host Panthers

In their last 10 games, the Bruins have been in impressive form, going 7-3-0 and outscoring their opponents 32-22. In contrast, the Panthers have struggled with a 3-6-1 record during the same period.

It sets the stage for a compelling showdown between the two teams when they meet Saturday at TD Garden. The game will start at 3:30 p.m. EDT.

After practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday, the Bruins' head coach, Jim Montgomery, told reporters:

“We just want to continue what we’re doing, especially these last two games. We really care about our play heading into the playoffs."

Montgomery believes the Bruins' play is in a good place.