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Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers Game 7: Preview, lines, predictions, 2023 NHL Playoffs
Do you believe that the best team in the NHL this season is in a do-or-die Game 7 in the very first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs?
The Boston Bruins blew open a 3-1 series lead after their victory in Game 4. Given how good the B's were this year and the nearly 90% success rate that comes with that commanding series lead, it felt that this series would be over before the rest.
But the Florida Panthers, led by Matthew Tkachuk, have stormed back to force a Game 7 in Boston on Sunday. Tkachuk led the Panthers to an overtime victory at TD Garden in Game 5.
After the win, as he received the game puck, Tkachuk said:
"Boys, remember this room. We will be back here for seven."
The Cats followed the words of one of their leaders.
In Game 6, the Panthers botched leads of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 and also found a way to overcome deficits of 4-3 and 5-4 to outlast the Bruins 7-5 on their home ice.
Not only was it a huge win to stay alive, but it proved that this Florida team is better and tougher than many believed they would be.
Game 7 is all about focus, not being overwhelmed, and overcoming adversity. The team that does that best through 60+ minutes, is usually the team that advances.
A key storyline in this game will be the goaltending of both sides.
Linus Ullmark has been the backbone of the record-setting Bruins season. Meanwhile, the Panthers have utilized both Alex Lyon and veteran Sergei Bobrovsky in this series. While Bobrovsky has earned the last two wins for Florida, his stats have been on both ends of the spectrum.
In Game 5, 'Bob' was stellar, stopping 44 of 47 (.936%) in the overtime win. But in Game 6, he finished with a sub .850 save percentage and needed his team to outscore the Bruins to come out on top.
On the other end, Ullmark really struggled in Game 6, as the 7-5 final score clearly shows. Is he finally hitting a wall? Or is his best game coming in the biggest moment?
Boston Bruins projected lineup
- Bertuzzi-Bergeron-Pastrnak
- Hall-Zacha-DeBrusk
- Marchand-Coyle-Foligno
- Lauko-Nosek-Hathaway
- Grzelcyk-McAvoy
- Lindholm-Carlo
- Forbort-Orlov
- Ullmark
- Swayman
Florida Panthers projected lineup
- Verhaeghe-Barkov-Duclair
- Luostarinen-Bennett-Tkachuk
- Lomberg-Lundell-Reinhart
- Cousins-Staal-White
- Forsling-Ekblad
- Staal-Montour
- Maura-Gudas
- Bobrovsky
- Lyon
Prediction
The Bruins are the better team in this series. There is little doubt about that. But anything can happen in Game 7.
Florida is motivated, they believe they can make this comeback from 3-1, and they have a goaltender that has stolen plenty of games in his career. Boston is going to have to be ready.
Bruins 4, Panthers 3 (OT)
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