The Boston Bruins came out strong against the Florida Panthers in Game 1, but Game 2 is on Wednesday, May 8, at 7:30 PM ET and could be a different story at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers are favored again with a moneyline at -175.
The Bruins quickly found success on the road against the Florida Panthers in the opener of this series despite having only one day of rest following their Game 7 triumph against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They often found the net with five goals, securing a decisive four-goal victory, with Mason Lohrei contributing a goal and an assist.
Notably, the scoring here was diversified since five players could find the net once each. Jeremy Swayman showcased his incredible defensive skills in goalkeeping, making 38 saves out of 39 shots. This will need to continue to happen if they want a shot at success.
Regarding regular-season performance, the Bruins' offense ranked 12th, while their defense ranked 6th. Brad Marchand has tallied three goals and six assists thus far, while Jake DeBrusk has contributed four goals and two assists. At this rate, they have a competitive offense and a smothering defense that will make things interesting for this series.
The Panthers entered this series with great expectations. However, things soured pretty quickly for Game 1. With just one goal in the second period, their offensive efforts fell short, and they suffered defensively. Matthew Tkachuk was the sole scorer in that game, which means the rest of the team will need to step it up here.
Meanwhile, the defense gave up three goals in the second period and two in the third, which will not win them games if they continue to struggle. Despite Sergei Bobrovsky's 24 saves out of 28 shots, more was needed to provide them the chance they needed. ImprovingEliminating on goaltending and an early offensive attack are imperative in Game 2.
While the Panthers boasted the 11th-ranked offense and second-ranked defense in the regular season, these stats went out the window when playing the Bruins. Matthew Tkachuk has tallied four goals and six assists in the postseason thus far. However, if their game plan comes up short, they must consider alternatives on both ends of the ice.
MyBookie offers great NHL odds for the playoffs. The Florida Panthers are favorites again despite the blowout at home in Game 1.
The Bruins won all four meetings against the Panthers during the regular season. The average score was 3.25 to 2.66 during those matchups, which aligns with Game 1's outcome. Look for the Panthers to bounce back at home.
