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NHL Playoffs Eastern Conference Round-Up: Bruins, Canes Survive Tight Games
Monday's Eastern Conference matchups featured two intense games with both the Carolina Hurricanes and the Boston Bruins, the higher-seeded clubs, tested to their limits.
Boston Bruins 3, Florida Panthers 1
The early story in this matchup was the play of Florida goaltender Alex Lyon. Although the Bruins could only muster eight shots through 20 minutes, the quality of those chances severely tested the 30-year-old netminder. Lyon answered the call on every shot other than a wide-open David Pastrnak power-play goal in the first.
In the second period, the Bruins found a way to break through. First, it was Brad Marchand's long-range wrister that evaded Lyon's glove, a goal he immediately wanted back. Then, after Matthew Tkachuk finally put the Panthers on the board, Jake DeBrusk restored the Bruins' two-goal lead with a bizarre scramble around the crease.
After the shot, the puck somehow sat still on top of Lyon's pad for what felt like forever. DeBrusk was able to locate it, and his diving effort pushed it over the line for a backbreaking goal.
Key Takeaway: Finding a way to convert
Florida outshot Boston 15-8 in the first and 9-8 in the second. Yet, they found themselves down by two after forty. While Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark made a few key saves, it was the inability to convert that hurt Florida most in Game One.
Carolina Hurricanes 2, New York Islanders 1
The Canes and Islanders battled in a tight game just as expected, and it was Carolina who did just enough to win.
After two quick power-play goals from Sebastian Aho and Stefan Noesen early in the first and second periods, Carolina watched New York take back most of the momentum.
When Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock's shot floated off his stick and somehow found its way behind Antti Raanta, the game felt like it was going to turn. But Carolina was able to continue pumping shots on the New York net and held on tight over the final few minutes.
Key Takeaway: Power plays
Not only did both of Carolina's goals come on the power play, but the game was also nearly decided by one in the final minutes. With less than five to go in the third, Matt Barzal drew a slashing penalty behind the Carolina net. The ensuing penalty shot from Carolina was clinical, as they killed it off and gave New York very little in way of scoring chances.
Stepping up in key moments is what playoff hockey is all about, and the Canes did just that in the third.
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