Series Talk: 2023 ECQF - BOSTON BRUINS (A1) vs Florida Panthers (WC2)

[sooshii]

Yay! I'm on 12 hour workdays with no chance of a break in the middle of the day. So if I start at 7:00 in the morning, I'll get to see the game.

Official announcement has 7:30 for first 3 games. Game 4 is 3:30 matinee.

 

[burstnbloom]

Sigh. Can't say I'm surprised by the dogmatic thinking that has crept into this place for a while. No dissenting opinions allowed! Bruins in 7? Ridiculous! How dare you assess an opponent's strengths and how it might perform against in a tourney where every team starts fresh? If you do, you are not a fan! I don't get it. We all know fairly well what the Bruins are capable of. How is it now deemed treasonous to think about and say what their opponents bring to the table?

Panthers are a way tougher out than the Isles or Pens by a mile. They always play the Bruins hard, especially at home. They are fast and big, and will be more punishing than anything slower Pitt or smaller NYI could bring. Their best shot is, as some have said, making it a track meet.

An by shot I mean putting pucks on net. FLA is very adept at it. #1 in the NHL this year. Good things happen when you do this. IF the Bruins are guilty of passing up shots, as they have been in recent playoffs, especially on the PP, this can become a challenge. Why? Because scoring. FLA had the 5th best scoring attack in the league this year. Only Boston, EDM, Kraken and the Devils scored more goals in 2022-23. Much more potent offense than NYI and Pitt by a long shot. Bruins facing a dangerous scoring threat, with a top 10 PP% this year to boot. But it’s a cakewalk. Ok.

I believe TO will have an easier time dispatching the Bolts than the Bruins will have to beat the Cats.

Could very well come down to a homer series, like vs. Carolina last year.

Picking Bs in 7, hoping for 6. And hoping they win is all we can do by the way. If anybody on this board knows without a shadow of a doubt that the Bruins will prevail, then -320 should not prevent you from betting the farm+ and retiring in two weeks max!


This

Heavy weighs the cross, I guess.

 

[rfournier103]

A f*cking Saturday without hockey.

Sigh.

I guess I’ll have to enjoy beautiful weather outside and spend time with my family.

The Bruins better be putting this downtime to good use, because for us to go a whole weekend without Boston Bruins hockey is not easy.

 

[Ladyfan]

Not making any predictions,but If I don’t get to see 16 goalie hugs I will be extremely disappointed.

Same here.

It has been a blast this season so far

 

[sooshii]

Feels weird not to have a back2back this weekend.

 

[NeelyDan]

the person that voted for a Panthers sweep is the same person in front of you in line that says "if it doesn't scan it's free right?"

 

[Patdud]

I think its a bad matchup. if you remove the black and gold goggles you understand the Panthers are not a typical 8th seed. Theyll try to hit Pastrnak all series and your favorite pkayer Krejci will need to be 2011 like

They have an overrated/overpaid goalie, their defense is not up there. They have some high end forward talent. Pretty typical 8th seed

 

[rfournier103]

I think it’s a bad matchup. if you remove the black and gold goggles you understand the Panthers are not a typical 8th seed. Theyll try to hit Pastrnak all series and your favorite pkayer Krejci will need to be 2011 like

Maybe. Maybe not.

If the Panthers dial in on Pastranak, there will eventually be a breakdown elsewhere on the ice and and the Bruins will cash in. As is often the case in the playoffs, depth and goaltending will be the deciding factors, and for the first time in most of our lives, the Bruins have more of both than anyone else.

If the Panthers contain Pasta, I’m sure someone else will pick up the slack. Unless the entire team goes cold all at once, Florida can’t shut everyone down. I don’t care if the third and fourth lines outscore the first and second. As long as the Bruins win the series in as few games as possible, none of that matters.

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Going to Sundays game 4 in Sunrise. Weird start time 3:30PM. Was hoping the game would be Saturday. I'll be at the Yardhouse early, Sawgrass Mall, with the rest of Lobsa Heads. Ticket prices weren't too awful.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Bruins will be a tough team to beat 4 out 7

 

[rfournier103]

Bruins will be a tough team to beat 4 out 7

Absolutely.

Another area I think the Bruins have an advantage in over almost everyone else is coaching.

Bob Essensa is finally getting the recognition he deserves, and Jim Montgomery seems like an absolute diamond of a coach. I really think he has a chance at being an all-time great. Just a feeling I’m getting.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Absolutely.

Another area I think the Bruins have an advantage in over almost everyone else is coaching.

Bob Essensa is finally getting the recognition he deserves, and Jim Montgomery seems like an absolute diamond of a coach. I really think he has a chance at being an all-time great. Just a feeling I’m getting.

I hope you are right.

But as we have seen far too many times in the past he needs to prove this regular season was not a fluke and get to the finals. Its going to be interesting seeing who's in the line-up on the bottom 6. That's what will sink or swim the coach.

He has amazing options that's for sure

 

[BlackFrancis]

Maybe. Maybe not.

If the Panthers dial in on Pastranak, there will eventually be a breakdown elsewhere on the ice and and the Bruins will cash in. As is often the case in the playoffs, depth and goaltending will be the deciding factors, and for the first time in most of our lives, the Bruins have more of both than anyone else.

If the Panthers contain Pasta, I’m sure someone else will pick up the slack. Unless the entire team goes cold all at once, Florida can’t shut everyone down. I don’t care if the third and fourth lines outscore the first and second. As long as the Bruins win the series in as few games as possible, none of that matters.

Should also be said, Pastrnak was held without a point in 16 games this past season - 1 out of 5. Factoring in luck, being dinged up a day or two and maybe just not feeling it that day, shutting down Pastrnak doesn't seem the surest strategy for a team that gave up close to 300 goals over the course of the season.

Conversely, Paul Maurice.

 

[goldnblack]

Very encouraged by where that Florida PK ranks. That's exactly what we needed for series 1.

Panthers PK is 23rd at only 76% (isles were 9th at 82%). Give me that bad PK to get the mojo going!

 

[rfournier103]

I hope you are right.

But as we have seen far too many times in the past he needs to prove this regular season was not a fluke and get to the finals. Its going to be interesting seeing who's in the line-up on the bottom 6. That's what will sink or swim the coach.

He has amazing options that's for sure

He’s going to get his chance Monday night. As much as we’re looking forward to this, I guarantee he’s got to be all kinds of fired up for these playoffs. Montgomery has been waiting his whole life for THIS. His boys love him and I don’t think they’ll let him down. I don’t think he’ll let them down, either.

I’ve felt this feeling before with the Patriots and Red Sox. Never with the Bruins.

I really think they’re going to do this.

 

[GahdenRinkRat]

Ugh we’re gonna hate Gudas too

Already there

 

[Bruinfanatic]

Very encouraged by where that Florida PK ranks. That's exactly what we needed for series 1.

Panthers PK is 23rd at only 76% (isles were 9th at 82%). Give me that bad PK to get the mojo going!

The Bruins tend to kill their own power plays on their own .

 

[Bleached]

Going to Sundays game 4 in Sunrise. Weird start time 3:30PM. Was hoping the game would be Saturday. I'll be at the Yardhouse early, Sawgrass Mall, with the rest of Lobsa Heads. Ticket prices weren't too awful.

I got tickets for game 3. It will be my first live hockey game in about 15 years.

 

[13Hockey]

 

[Oates2Neely]

Uh oh

 

[13Hockey]

 

[GahdenRinkRat]

Uh oh

Just heard this on the sports hub hockey show…maybe not “precautionary” after all?

Just heard this on the sports hub hockey show…maybe not “precautionary” after all?

Or maybe he just spent an extra day/night in Quebec with his family

 

[13Hockey]

Looks like grizz is the odd man out on D

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

If they lose Bergeron over the meaningless Habs game there will be many hindsight questions. Perhaps it is additional maintenance and he will be playing game 1 or 2. Krejci returning is massive to that equation as the Bruins depth is beyond elite.

 

[danpantz]

I might be reading into it to much but it seems not great that they are rolling that lineup of they are planning on bergeron playing.

Wouldn’t they want to get bert and hall some practice time together? Unless they plan on Zacha being 3rw?