Series Talk: Atlantic Division Final: (1) Panthers vs. (2) Bruins

[smithformeragent]

Panthers to play Bruins in Eastern 2nd Round | NHL.com

Defeated Tampa Bay in 5 games to advance; Boston eliminated Maple Leafs in 7

www.nhl.com

The Florida Panthers will play the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Second Round.
Florida eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. Boston advanced with a 2-1 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 on Saturday.
The Panthers, who are the No. 1 seed from the Atlantic Division, will have home-ice advantage in the best-of-7 series against the Bruins, the No. 2 seed from the Atlantic.
Carter Verhaeghe (five goals, four assists) and Matthew Tkachuk (three goals, six assists) each had nine points to lead the Panthers in the first round of the playoffs. Sam Reinhart, who scored 57 goals during the regular season, had three goals.
Sergei Bobrovsky started each game, going 4-1-0 with a 2.78 goals-against average and .896 save percentage.
Florida was 0-2-2 against Boston during the regular season, losing three of the four games by one goal. Reinhart (two goals, two assists) and Aleksander Barkov(two goals, two assists) each had four points. Tkachuk had two points (one goal, one assist).
Bobrovsky started all four games and posted a 3.24 GAA and .871 save percentage.
Brad Marchand led Boston with eight points (three goals, five assists) in the first round. Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak each had three goals and two assists.
Jeremy Swayman went 4-2 with a 1.49 GAA and .950 save percentage in six starts. Linus Ullmark allowed three goals on 34 shots in his only start, a 3-2 loss in Game 2.
Against the Panthers, the Bruins were led by Pavel Zacha, who had five points (two goals, three assists). Charlie McAvoy (three goals, one assist) and Pastrnak (one goal, three assists) each had four points.
Ullmark was 3-0-0 with a 1.62 GAA and .947 save percentage. Swayman made 18 saves in his only start, a 4-3 win on March. 26.
Florida and Boston have played twice in the postseason, with the Panthers winning each time. They won in five games in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in 1996, and in seven games in the first round last season. Each season, Florida went on to lose in the Stanley Cup Final.

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[Braunbaer]

I expect something similar to the 2018 / 2020 series against Tampa.
One early win and no chance after that.

 

[JCRO]

Bs are coming in as underdogs. And of course the cats have been resting.

Not always a bad thing to roll into a series like this though. Riding the high of a huge game 7 win.

Oh and revenge. That too.

 

[Fenway]

Bs are coming in as underdogs. And of course the cats have been resting.

Not always a bad thing to roll into a series like this though. Riding the high of a huge game 7 win.

Oh and revenge. That too.

Sunday, May 5 (Bedford, MA)
- Head Coach Jim Montgomery and forward Pat Maroon available to media at Jet Aviation/Hanscom Field (380 Hanscom Dr, Bedford, MA 01730)
- Media should plan to arrive at 12 p.m.
- Travel to Florida

 

[pgm16]

So with goaltending like Swayman is providing, anything is possible.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Went Boston in 6…. Hopefully they find motivation in what happened last season.

That being said panthers look really good, Matt tkachuk is a monster and bob is right there with swayman in goaltending… very pesty team should be a fun series

 

[Ned Bouhalassa]

Absolutely everyone is predicting a Florida series win. That’s why I’m going with Bruins in 5!

 

[bruinsfan1968]

I am going to view this series like the Biblical story David vs Goliath, the underdog prevailed in that one, let's see what Boston can do!

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Had to vote Panthers, in 6. The fresher team, stronger forward group, home ice advantage (such as it is these days), a proven record of having what it takes to win in playoffs, a goalie who can be inconsistent but whose best is as good as anybody's. They have to be favorites and rightly so.

The Bruins do have a chance. Their goaltending will give them at least a shot most nights, they will have last year's defeat on their minds, hopefully they will be better prepared for Florida's physicality, and their best players can definitely offer more than what we saw against the Leafs. And in the regular season the Bruins had the edge, 4-zip, which of course means nothing come Monday night but still shows that they can match it with these guys.

So we'll see how we go. Expecting a Florida victory, but hoping for an upset. You never know.

 

[Blowfish]

We get healthy players back in Heinen, Peeke, Forbert, and possibly Pageau? Anything is possible. Give Swayman a game off and start with Ulmark.

 

[KnightofBoston]

Bruins get their revenge and go on a run

Let’s f***ing go

 

[Joe Zanussi]

Ullmark Game One; Sway Game Two; then act accordingly

Do we expect Forbort anytime. Getting him and Peeke would be ideal.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

“Swayman this post season

4-2
1.49 GAA
.950 save %

Ullmark vs Panthers this season

3-0
1.62 GAA
.947 save %”

Think Monty will go with Ullmark for game 1.

 

[Gee Wally]

House money. Just play your game. Your real game. And have fun.

 

[Sevendust]

Florida is on a totally other level. They truly elevate their game in the playoffs, unfortunately the Bruins dont. The only part I say Boston is stronger is goaltending. Hold your head high and at least give some effort. Don't get routed. A Bruins series win would be the biggest suprise the team would have done to me in the last 10 years.

 

[bme44]

Florida is on a totally other level. They truly elevate their game in the playoffs, unfortunately the Bruins dont. The only part I say Boston is stronger is goaltending. Hold your head high and at least give some effort. Don't get routed. A Bruins series win would be the biggest suprise the team would have done to me in the last 10 years.

Making the playoffs was more than I expected . At the start of the season. The playoffs are different animal . As we found out last year . Anything can happen

 

[UConn126]

I keep starting Swayman. There was no "we should rest Thomas, let's start Rask" in 2011.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I think we're gonna get steamrolled and I'm accepting that because frankly, we're playing with house money right now. Florida is a juggernaut but the good thing is that I suck at predictions so GO BRUINS!

 

[JCRO]

House money. Just play your game. Your real game. And have fun.

Is it ignorant to say it’s kind of a plus the Leafs played the style they did in games 5-7 cause it’s very similar to the Cats? Sort of a dry run if you will?

As you said, it’s all house money. They’re not expected to win. AND they’ve been nails on the road.

I don’t think it’s only going 4 games like everyone is preaching

 

[FrankerC]

“Swayman this post season

4-2
1.49 GAA
.950 save %

Ullmark vs Panthers this season

3-0
1.62 GAA
.947 save %”

Think Monty will go with Ullmark for game 1.

This doesn't make a ton of sense to me if it does happen to be the case with Ullmark for G1. This just means that Swayman posted better numbers in 2 more games (against Mr. 69) + more save opportunities where its more likely that numbers would go down. Going with Ullmark would be the wrong move. The Toronto series proved that Swayman is the franchise goalie going forward.

 

[TCB]

We get healthy players back in Peeke, Forbert, and possibly Pageau? Anything is possible. Give Swayman a game off and start with Ulmark.

Pageau would be a huge difference maker if Sweeney can some how pull it off.

 

[TCB]

“Swayman this post season

4-2
1.49 GAA
.950 save %

Ullmark vs Panthers this season

3-0
1.62 GAA
.947 save %”

Think Monty will go with Ullmark for game 1.

If Monty goes with Ullmark game one I’ll eat my hat. We’re lucky we have two great goalies but right now there’s no one playing better on the planet than Swayman so imo it’s a no brainer he’s starting game one.

 

[StonedZboril]

The Panthers will be tough but I don’t agree that they are better than us. I know they elevate in the playoffs but we swept them in the head to head this year. Bob has to stand on his head. As always it’s a question of who gets to their game and dictates the most. Should be a very interesting series. Bruins in 6.

 

[JOKER 192]

I would argue that Florida is the better team but so was Toronto on most nights in the last series including last night.
Bruins could take it with some high level goaltending. We'll see.

 

[goldenblack]

I don' t know how they'll stop the Florida top 6 or PP.

but staying out of the box is obviously huge this series. Florida is gonna do all that cheap stuff after the whistle. Our guys can't fall for it.