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Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers Game 2: Preview, Lines, Predictions: 2023 NHL Playoffs
The Boston Bruins got more than they asked for in Game 1 against the Florida Panthers on Monday.
In a tight-checking game, Bruins goaltender Linus Ullamark made 31 saves and Boston used bookended goals in the second period to prove too much for the lowest-seeded Panthers.
Outside of one bad goal from Brad Marchand, Panthers goaltender Alex Lyon was excellent.
Lyon made a few huge saves in the first 20 minutes and kept Florida in the game all night. Lyon's numbers were nothing spectacular (26 saves on 29 shots), but he will continue to play a huge role in the Panthers' chances against the President's Trophy winners.
In Game 2, the Boston Bruins will once again be without the help of captain Patrice Bergeron.
Bergeron missed Game 1 after leaving the regular-season finale 'out of precaution' with an upper-body injury. Well, the injury was clearly worse than precautionary as the captain is set to miss his second consecutive playoff game.
While Bergeron is a huge part of this team on and off the ice, his style of play and attitude has rubbed off on the rest of the dressing room.
“Bergeron is the head of the snake," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. "But there are a lot of pythons underneath him doing the work as well.”
For Florida to have success, they have to convert on their chances. That is easier said than done with the best goaltender all year staring you in the face, but there is no time to allow Ullmark to steal a game.
If the Panthers can get traffic to the net and find a way to get the big goaltender moving, they have a shot. If he is given outside shots with a clear line of sight, it is going to be a 2-0 series lead for Boston heading down to Sunrise.
Florida should receive a boost from the expected return of forward Sam Bennett, who skated this morning in Boston.
Boston Bruins projected lineup
- Marchand-Zacha-DeBrusk
- Bertuzzi-Krejci-Pastrnak
- Hall-Coyle-Frederic
- Foligno-Nosek-Hathaway
- Orlov-McAvoy
- Lindholm-Carlo
- Forbort-Clifton
- Ullmark
- Swayman
Florida Panthers projected lineup
- Verhaeghe-Barkov-Duclair
- Luostarinen-Bennett-Tkachuk
- Lomberg-Lundell-Reinhart
- Cousins-Staal-White
- Forsling-Ekblad
- Staal-Montour
- Maura-Gudas
- Lyon
- Bobrovsky
Prediction
The Boston Bruins escaped on Monday, in my opinion. They received key goals in huge moments and Ullmark was spectacular when called upon. If Florida can get the same performance from Lyon and convert on at least one of their Grade-A chances, they have a shot.
But I expect Lyon not to be as good as he was early on and for the Bruins to jump ahead and not look back.
Boston Bruins 5, Florida Panthers 1
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