By: Danielle DuBois | Follow Me on Twitter @DanielleDuBois
The Bruins were the first team in the NHL to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. With the Bruins one step closer to the championship, it is up in the air as to who they will face in the first round of the playoffs. So let’s break down the possible teams they could face and who would be the best matchup for the Bruins.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
As of right now, the Bruins would face the Panthers in the first round of the playoffs. With Florida now climbing up the ranks, we have to discuss what a matchup between the two teams would look like.
The Panthers had a great season last year. They ended their season with a record of 58-18-6 and were first in the NHL. The Panthers also had their first playoff series win since 1996. Unfortunately, their reign ended in the second round of the playoffs after being swept by the Lightning.
This season I expected the Panthers to come out and have a very similar season; however, that did not happen. The Panthers looked lifeless and like a completely different team than last year. Despite their slow start, Florida is now 35-27-7 and is just one win away from a playoff spot.
The Bruins played the Panthers four times this season and lost two of the four games. The last game they faced off ended up going to overtime after Aleksander Barkov scored in the final seconds of regulation. With the 50/50 record in the regular season, anyone could win in the playoffs.
The Panthers’ goaltending is one thing that works in the Bruins’ favor. Their goaltending has been average this season, with starter Sergei Bobrovsky having a save percentage of .904. With the insane amount of goal-scoring that the Bruins have produced, Bobrovsky will have a rough time. If the Bruins play the Panthers, they will win the series without too much trouble.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
The Islanders are currently in the first wildcard spot; however, the Penguins and Islanders have gone back and forth between first and second. With a chance that the Bruins could face New York, let’s look at the Islanders.
The Islanders currently are 36-27-8 with 80 points this season. The Islanders are hard to play against due to their loaded roster. 2023 All-Star, Brock Nelson, leads the Islanders with 30 goals and 35 assists this season. Following Nelson is Mathew Barzal, Anders Lee, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
Despite the Islanders’ talented team, the Bruins have beaten them every time they have played this season. However, the playoffs are completely different from the regular season. We saw the Islanders knock out the Bruins in the second round of the playoffs back in 2021.
One thing to worry about for the Bruins is facing Ilya Sorokin. Sorokin is the third-best goalie in the league and has a save percentage of .925. We have seen the Bruins play games this season where they have 30 or 40 shots on goal, yet nothing gets past the goalie. If the Bruins have to face the Islanders in the playoffs, Sorokin could be the deciding factor.
The Bruins facing off against the Islanders is nerve-wracking, to say the least. Despite the Islanders’ mediocre season, they have extreme talent, and defense is imperative for the playoffs. With a strong goalie duo between Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov, the Bruins should be ready for a fight.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
The Penguins are not in the playoffs, but are just one point behind the Panthers. The Capitals would be the third team in the wildcard conversation; however, they traded away all their team, and now they are paying for it.
The biggest challenge for the Bruins is locking down Sidney Crosby. Crosby is currently one of the best skaters on the ice, and it’s not easy to play defense against him. This season Crosby has racked up 29 goals with 54 assists. While his goal-scoring is lower than in past seasons, his scoring has never made him great. He is a tremendous skater and works to get his teammates the puck.
Despite the Penguins having a talented trio with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jake Guentzel, the Penguins have been less than impressive this season. Currently, the Penguins sit at 34-26-10 with 78 points. The Penguins have an extremely talented roster; however, third-string depth is where they lack. To succeed in the playoffs, you need scoring depth, which Pittsburgh does not have.
Another huge issue for the Penguins is that they can’t hang on to a lead. We saw this firsthand back in November when the Penguins played the Bruins. After scoring four goals in the second period, the Penguins led 5-3. However, the Bruins came out and scored two goals in the third period and ended up winning 6-5 in overtime.
So what would a matchup against the Penguins look like for the Bruins? Well, I would say it seems hopefully optimistic. The Bruins versus the Penguins is always a competitive matchup and can be high scoring. However, the Penguins are known to give up leads and only play the first 40 minutes of the game, whereas the Bruins play their best hockey during the third period. With those factors, the Bruins should be able to move past the Penguins quickly.
Ultimately, I think the Panthers are the best matchup for the Bruins, but the Penguins wouldn’t be awful, either. As the season wraps up, we will get a better picture of who the Bruins will face and who will miss the playoffs.
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