The rematch from last year’s heartbreak is officially underway. With the Florida Panthers having a longer layoff, the Boston Bruins came in fresh off a Game 7 victory two days ago. The Bruins flew down to Florida and took complete advantage of a team that hadn’t played in over a week.
The Bruins’ depth was at the forefront and came through in a big way, as they defeated the Panthers 5-1. In fact, in both Game 1s, the Bruins have a goal differential of 10-2. It was a great collective effort with something to prove.
Swayman Remains Red Hot
The biggest question surrounding the Bruins these playoffs was whether head coach Jim Montgomery would use the tandem of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark. In the first round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he used Swayman in Game 1 and Ullmark in Game 2. He then turned back to Swayman for Game 3 and didn’t look back. The same question loomed prior to Game 1 against the Florida Panthers, but Swayman got the start for the opening contest. Safe to say, that was the right call, as he has the hot hand.
Swayman finished the first round with a .950 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.49 goals-against average (GAA). He has yet to allow more than two goals in a start this postseason and made sure to frustrate the Panthers in Game 1. The long layoff for the Panthers did not seem to bother them, as they came out ready to pounce on the Bruins. Swayman stood tall, making numerous key saves and did a great job of fighting pucks through traffic. He was at his best during the third period, as the Bruins were passive to start the period. The Panthers came out desperate, out-attempting the Bruins 25-8 and held the edge in shots on goal 10-4. Swayman answered the bell and was there to make every save.
Swayman finished the night with a 1.00 GAA, a .974 SV% and 2.31 goals saved above expected. He’s been nothing short of amazing and is one of the biggest stories of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. With how he’s playing, the net belongs to Swayman and he’s earned the rights to the goal crease.
Defenseman and Depth Leading the Charge
With the firepower the Bruins have in David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, you’d think they would be leading the way. Instead, it was the defensemen for the Bruins that led the charge. Sometimes that’s what you need in the playoffs, which is the unlikely candidates or unsung heroes to come through.
Ever since drawing into the lineup in the first round, Mason Lohrei has gotten better and has earned his spot in the lineup. He is calm and has been unafraid to make offense happen when given the opportunity. In fact, he was a difference-maker in this game and got the game-winning goal. While making a good pinch in the offensive zone, Lohrei placed a perfect shot shortside over Sergei Bobrovsky.
The celebration was everything but he also was not alone. It was a fantastic day for Brandon Carlo, as he welcomed a child into this world. Also, he scored the insurance goal, as he went bar down on Bobrovsky. With how good Bobrovsky was in the first period, these were the types of goals that it was going to take to beat him.
It was not just their offense that stood out, but they also got the job done on the defensive side of things. When it came to suppressing the opposition, Carlo finished with 0.64 expected goals against, and Lohrei with 0.49. Furthermore, they excelled in the high-danger areas of the ice, limiting the Panthers to two shot attempts each during five-on-five play.
The Bruins also saw forward Justin Brazeau score his first career playoff goal, which helped extend the lead. Morgan Geekie scored his third of the postseason and Jake DeBrusk sealed the deal with an empty net goal. Depth all around shined brightly. Also, when it came to special teams, the penalty kill has remained a strong point for the Bruins.
Bruins Penalty Kill Remains Stellar
Entering the series, the Bruins penalty kill has been elite. They currently have a 95.2% success rate and smothered the Maple Leafs stars. They’d have to remain red hot because the Panthers have Sam Reinhart who scored 27 goals with the man advantage. In Game 1, the Bruins’ penalty kill picked up where they left off in the first round.
The Bruins went perfect on the penalty kill, as they killed all three opportunities they gave to the Panthers. The Panthers certainly got their looks, having 15 shot attempts and six shots on goal. Furthermore, they generated ten scoring chances and even managed to get to the high-danger areas of the ice. Swayman stood tall and the penalty killers did their job.
For the Bruins, they’ll want to be better at staying disciplined. They are lucky that the penalty kill has been stellar but staying out of the box is a must going forward.
Bruins Carrying Momentum
Momentum is a great thing to have in the playoffs and the Bruins have that. After taking Game 7 on home ice Saturday night (May 4), they brought that momentum down to Florida.
The goaltending remains stellar and the penalty kill is a weapon. They still have their top guys able to produce, but having the depth shine through is great at this time of the year. It is only Game 1, but this was an encouraging performance.
More must-reads: