Panthers' Brad Marchand makes big impact in return to Boston

He played a significant role in Florida's 4-3 win, snapping what had been a four-game losing streak for the Panthers.

Brad Marchand makes big impact in return to Boston

It was not just the fact that the Panthers won the game for Marchand, but he also played a meaningful role in the win and did everything that he does in a typical hockey game.

He used his skill to record two assists.

He managed to draw a penalty just 34 seconds into the game. 

He took a penalty early in the second period. 

He also played 20 minutes and was a two-way force all over the ice, contributing to the Panthers offense and also playing a big role in quieting the Bruins. When he was on the ice, Florida allowed just four shots on goal during five-on-five play and pretty much completely eliminated any high-danger scoring chances.

Marchand, now 37 years old, is not quite the same player he was at his peak with the Bruins, but he still has something left in the tank. With his two assists on Tuesday he is already up to three goals, five assists and eight total points in Florida's first eight games. With superstar forwards Aleksander Barkov (for the entire season) and Matthew Tkachuk (for at least the first two or three months) sidelined for extended periods of time, the Panthers are going to need players like Marchand to step up and produce even more. He did exactly that on Tuesday against his former team.