Before things got exciting, the Bruins took the lead when Johnny Beecher guided a wrister from Mark Kastelic through Sergei Bobrovsky’s 5-hole.

It was the first goal of the year for Beecher, a third of the Boston Stranglers’ fourth line.

The Panthers answered quickly, capitalizing on a rough giveaway from Mason Lohrei, whose relay to Hampus Lindholm was redirected behind his own net straight to Jeremy Swayman’s door. The Bruins goalie may have pushed the puck into himself, but nearest Panther Anton Lundell got the credit.

Then things got ugly.

AJ Greer started things off when he buried David Pastrnak into the boards from behind. Pastrnak’s compadre, Pavel Zacha, immediately went after Greer, the ex-Bruin who probably won’t be invited to reunions anytime soon.

Greer was inexplicably not penalized for the dangerous hit, but was sent away along with Zacha for fighting.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery and his charges were angry about the no-call and only got angrier when Charlie McAvoy was ejected for cross-checking Carter Verhaeghe. McAvoy got his money’s worth with some good hits, but the Panthers cashed in.

Just five seconds after the foul, Sam Reinhart whistled one over Swayman’s blocker for a 2-1 Panther lead.

Pastrnak, perhaps still sore from the Greer attack, shocked Reinhart into his chest with a punch to his shoulder. Florida’s Nate Schmidt tried to go after Pastrnak, but Brad Marchand interrupted and eliminated him.

Brandon Carlo tied the score early in the second period and benefited from more pressure from the fourth line.

Kastelic and Cole Koepke held the Panthers down, and Koepke centered the puck, where Carlo calmly slid it high past Bobrovsky.

Greer was ejected for interference, and although the Bruins’ power play finally showed some signs of life, the Panthers struck with shorthand.

Reinhart took Matt Poitras’ pocket and took it to the hilt, crashing the net as Poitras held on for dear life. Reinhart slid the puck past Swayman for his second of the day and second shorthanded goal against the Bruins this season.

Lundell doubled the lead when he took a stretch pass from Gustav Forsling and zipped it past Swayman.

Lohrei got one back when the defender made a nifty move around Evan Rodrigues (who had promised to block the shot) and fired one over Bobrovsky’s blocker to make it 4-3 after two.

Jim McBride can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @globejimmcbride.