Keys to Game 2 for Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers

The Boston Bruins defeated the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round matchup. Now, Game 2 is here, providing both teams with their next opportunity to grab some momentum in the series.

Star power was pivotal in Game 1, and it will be again in Game 2. Monday’s tilt featured Boston’s stars stepping up, as David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand both chipped in a goal. The early tally from Pastrnak was especially useful, allowing the B’s to claim a lead a play from a familiar spot.

On Florida’s side, Matthew Tkachuk was the lone goal scorer in the opening game of the series. His game got started about ten minutes later than everyone else’s thanks to a series of Panthers penalties to start the game. That will need to change in Game 2.

Can the Panthers even the series with the Bruins in Game 2?

Wednesday’s game is going to be an important one for Florida. A 2-0 hole is not insurmountable, but the Cats did some good things, like outshooting the B’s in Game 1, and they need to build on that before a team as dominant as the Bruins squashes all silver linings.

Alex Lyon will be a key player to keep an eye on in Game 2, as he made some strong saves in the first game. He wasn’t challenged quite as often as Linus Ullmark at the other end, but he saw more quality shots and had to make some difficult stops. Can he pull off those saves again?

It’s also worth noting that at least one of Boston’s goals falls squarely on Lyon. Can he eliminate those leaky goals and take over Game 2?

For Boston, I’ll be waiting to see if captain Patrice Bergeron will be ready to go for this game. The Bruins have proven that they can get by without him, but we all know how important he is to this club. He’s been dealing with an illness and is questionable for Wednesday.

Also, see if Monday’s goal for Marchand can open the floodgates for the Bruins winger. His ability to score more often than he did at the end of the regular season will go a long way in determining how much success Boston has in these playoffs.

Series Leaders

Goals

BOS – Pastrnak, Marchand, DeBrusk (1)

FLA – Tkachuk (1)

Assists

BOS – Bertuzzi (2)

FLA – N/A

Points

BOS – Bertuzzi (2)

FLA – Tkachuk (1)

Puck drop for Game 2 between the Bruins and Panthers will be at 7:30 PM at TD Garden in Boston on Wednesday. The contest can be seen on ESPN.