The Boston Bruins did not make history by becoming the first team to blow a 3-1 series lead in back-to-back years. Instead, they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime (2-1) and advanced to the second round. There are certain players they can thank for this, and one of them is David Pastrnak. After being called out after Game 6 by his head coach, Jim Montgomery, he responded in a big way by scoring the game-winning goal. Upon the conclusion of the game, Pastrnak said this regarding the call out,
“I told him, ‘If I were the coach and you were the player, I’d say the same thing. I needed to be better.”
It’s safe to say he will need to be better going forward because their next opponent is a rematch from last season. The Bruins have the opportunity to avenge last season’s heartbreaking defeat against the pesky Florida Panthers. The Panthers, meanwhile, made quick work of the Tampa Bay Lightning, defeating them in five games.
This is going to be a great series between these two teams, who also do not like one another. As Game 1 begins Monday night in Sunrise, Florida, let’s see how these two teams stack up against one another.
Five-on-Five Play
When the game is played at five-on-five, the Panthers are the superior team. In fact, they were one of the best teams in this regard. The Panthers have tremendous depth, play with structured defense, and forecheck hard. For the Bruins’ offense, they are going to have to find ways to capitalize because the Panthers do not provide much.
During the regular season, the Panthers allowed the second fewest shot attempts (3,353) and the second-fewest shots on goal. Shot suppression was key for them, and the Bruins, who were near the bottom in shots on goal and shot attempts, will need to be much better. One glaring note is that the Panthers allowed the fewest goals at five-on-five play, which is a testament to how good they are in this area of play. For the playoffs, the margins are much closer.
Related: 3 Key Pieces That Got the Bruins to the 2nd Round
Both teams finished with a Corsi for percentage (CF%) under 50%, but the Bruins series was much more open than the Panthers series. The Bruins were much superior in shot attempts and even generated the second most expected goals (14.99) but scored below their expected rate. In contrast, the Panthers capitalized on their chances and scored above it. Goaltending smothered the Bruins later in the series, whereas the Panthers were able to solve Andrei Vasilevskiy.
The Bruins will need to bring the same type of offense they did against the Maple Leafs because the Panthers are a tougher defensive opponent. They also have to beat the defense and the goalie.
Goaltending
It’s cliche to say, but the series could come down to goaltending. A year ago, Alex Lyon played well enough for the Panthers to claw their way into the playoffs, only to see Sergei Bobrovsky take over. Safe to say, playoff Bob arrived and carried the team to the Stanley Cup Finals. For the Bruins, they not only boast the best tandem in the league, but also a goalie that avenged a Game 7 first round loss and is hungry for more.
During the regular season, both teams’ goaltending was excellent, and not just by one guy. The Panthers finished with the second-best team save percentage (.913), whereas the Bruins finished third (.912). It’s going to be a battle, as both teams have a chance to win regardless of who’s in the net.
Jeremy Swayman saved the Bruins more times than anyone could count. The Lightning held the Panthers to 238 attempts (12th among qualified teams), and with the Bruins allowing the second most shot attempts during five-on-five play, they’ll need Swayman’s stellar play to continue. He comes into this series with a 1.49 goals against average, a .950 save percentage, and 7.58 goals saved above expected. He was dialed in completely and had a 2011 Tim Thomas-esque playoff series.
The Bruins will have to get past the stifling defense and Bobrovsky. This playoff run, he has a 2.73 GAA and a .896 save percentage, but 0.5 goals saved above expected. Both goalies stack up well against one another, and with game-changing forwards on both teams, they’ll need to step up big. The other area is going to be special teams play, which could be a weapon in this series.
Special Teams Play
There are so many weapons for both teams when it comes to the man advantage. For the Bruins, there is premiere sniper Pastrnak and captain Brad Marchand, who had six points on the power play in the first-round series against the Maple Leafs. As for the Panthers, the arsenal of weapons is lengthy, with Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart leading the charge. This series is destined to be physical, as the rivalry will spark and enter a new halter. If either team decides to be undisciplined and take trips to the penalty box, special teams could be a major factor.
The Bruins power play that struggled to end the season rose from the ashes in round one. Against the Maple Leafs penalty kill, they finished with a 40% success rate. However, they’ll be running into a stronger penalty kill unit that smothered the league’s top-ranked powerplay that was the Lightning. The Panthers finished the first round with an 80% success rate on the penalty kill, so the Bruins special teams unit will need to capitalize if they get the chance.
The Bruins have a major advantage in penalty kills, finishing with a 95% success rate and giving the Maple Leafs no life in the first round. The Panthers will want to see their weapons come to life, but it will be a major challenge against this unit.
Closing Thoughts
The Bruins’ road to redemption starts now. This is going to be a fantastic series with two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference facing off. The Panthers have a slight edge in terms of play at five-on-five, but special teams will be a major factor. The stars in this series will need to shine brightest.
Goaltending will be the biggest factor, and that’s not including the possibility that Linus Ullmark will appear in this series. It’s going to be interesting to see how this series plays out, but expect it to go the distance.