3 things Boston Bruins must do to ensure playoff series comeback against Florida Panthers

By Ryan Gagne

Modified May 14, 2024 18:39 GMT

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In 2022-23, after finishing with the best regular season statistics of all time, the Boston Bruins went up 3-1 in their opening-round series with the Florida Panthers, only to lose Game 7 on home ice in overtime.

Twelve months later, the tables have turned, and now the Panthers are up 3-1, with a chance to close out the Bruins for the second consecutive season on Tuesday night. However, this series isn't over until someone wins four games.

Considering that the first three games were lopsided, Game 4 was close and just a collapse by the Bruins, putting them in an unfavorable position. But there's still time to turn things around. Here's a look at how Boston can overcome adversity.

3 things Boston Bruins must do to ensure playoff series comeback against Florida Panthers

#3. Forget the controversy and face adversity head-on

In Game 3, the Bruins lost their captain, Brad Marchand, on a sucker punch from Panthers forward Sam Bennett. Unfortunately, there was no penalty on the play, and the NHL didn't even give the incident a further review, stating it was a "hockey play."

Two days later, without Marchand in the lineup, the Bruins blew a 2-0 lead, watching Bennett score the game-tying goal controversially. With the puck at the side of the net, he pushed Charlie Coyle into Jeremy Swayman, and with the Boston netminder unable to move, he pounded home the loose puck.

Unfortunately, several questionable calls have occurred throughout the playoffs, and the Bruins have found themselves on the wrong end twice in four days.

However, all these incidents have to be bulletin board material. If Boston wants to live out its Stanley Cup aspirations, it has to put all that drama in the past and get the job done on the ice.

No one can change the outcome of the previous games, and with the "one game at a time" mentality, this talented team could force and win a Game 7 by simply changing their mindset.

#2. Stay out of the penalty box

In four games, the Bruins have combined for 119 penalty minutes, giving the Panthers 21 powerplay opportunities, resulting in six goals (28.5%). They have committed more infractions in every game except Game 1, their only win in the series.

Whether the penalties are warranted, Boston shoots itself in the foot by taking ill-advised infractions at the wrong times. They can't seem to avoid too many men on the ice calls and retaliatory ones, where they always get caught.

Because they are shorthanded, they have a hard time generating opportunities in the offensive zone, spend time killing penalties, and disrupt any chance of building momentum.

Special teams have dominated the series, both for good and bad, and this is one of the significant changes the Bruins have to achieve to find any success in extending their season.

#1. Shots. And More Shots

In 12 periods of playoff hockey, the Panthers have registered 146 shots on goal, while the mighty Bruins have mustered less than half of that total at 79. After building up a 2-0 first-period lead on Sunday, they hit Sergei Bobrovsky just 13 more times in the final two periods.

The largest single-period total in the series is 14 (Game 1, period one) while reaching 11 (Game 4, period two). However, the most concerning statistic is that Boston has four periods with less than five shots on goal.

Surprisingly, Bobrovsky's save percentage is just .885 in the series, with nine goals against, with four coming in Game 1 alone. He hasn't stolen the series by any means, but outside of the first meeting, he hasn't broken a sweat yet, barely facing 20 shots a game since then.

Although many have counted out the Black and Gold, who are down 3-1 and facing a daunting task to force Game 7, however, as mentioned, it's not over until it's over, and if Boston wants to make it a series again, they have to get shots on goal. It's that simple.