Bruins-Panthers Round 1 predictions
BOSTON -- After a truly epic regular season where they set new NHL records for wins (65) and points (135), now the fun really begins for the Boston Bruins. After tearing apart the NHL record books for the last six months, anything short of a Stanley Cup parade through Boston come July will be a massive disappointment for the Bruins.
But we are a long way from any duck boats making their way through the streets of Boston, with a first-round series against the Florida Panthers on tap for the Bruins. The B's went 2-1-1 against the Panthers during the regular season, but Boston only outscored Florida 17-14 over those four games.
Will the Bruins have any issues with the Panthers in the first round? Or will they continue to roll as they did throughout the regular season? Here is how the WBZ-TV and WBZ.com sports team sees the first-round matchup playing out:
Steve Burton, WBZ-TV Sports
The Bruins just need to be the Bruins. They've been the best team all year and the playoffs shouldn't change that. Both goaltenders are legit and even if they get down, they have the weapons to come back and win.
Bruins in 6
Dan Roche, WBZ-TV Sports
They've done everything they could possibly do in this historic regular season and now the fun begins. And all that matters is that this Bruins team gets by the first round. If they do that, we should have a lengthy run.
They have everything you could want in a team. Veteran winning forwards in Bergeron, Marchand, and Krejci. A superstar in David Pastrnak. They have grinders galore, three No. 1 defensemen (McAvoy, Lindholm, Orlov), and a sensational goaltender (Ullmark). Plus, a more than capable back-up in net in Swayman.
Jim Montgomery has pushed every correct button so far.
The Panthers were the top team a season ago, but had their struggles this year. They found a way to get in to the postseason party, however, led by Matthew Tkachuk (40 goals, 109 points), who is a pain in the neck to play against. Aleksander Barkov is a great all-around player.
It will be interesting to see how Florida's goaltending plays out. Alex Lyon played down the stretch, going 6-2, with Sergei Brobovsky sidelined with an illness. Overall, Brobovsky had a 24-20-3 record this season with a 3.07 GAA and a .901 save percentage in 50 appearances. Look up who the goalie was when the 8-seed swept and stunned the top-seeded 62-win Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019. (Spoiler: It was Sergei Brobovsky.)
But that won't matter in this series.
Bruins in 5
Michael Hurley, WBZ.com Sports
The Panthers have some high-level players like Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaege, as well as Brandon Montour on the blue line. But unfortunately for them, they don't have the goaltending. Sergei Bobrovsky has been MIA since late March amid the second-worst season of his career, and veteran journeyman Alex Lyon is not ready for the bright lights of the postseason. And if you don't have goaltending against the No. 2 scoring team in the league, you don't' have a chance.
Bruins in 4
Matthew Geagan, WBZ.com Sports
Only in the NHL could a historic team like the Boston Bruins lose in the first round of the playoffs. It happened in 2019 when the mighty Tampa Bay Lightning not only lost to the Blue Jackets in the first round, but they were swept.
Fret not, Bostonians. That isn't happening to the Bruins. The Panthers play them tough, but these Bruins are on a mission. There will be no first-round failure for this team.
The series may take a little longer than anyone wants, but a Bruins victory will never be in doubt.
Bruins in 6
