The Bruins captured the primary of what they hope shall be 16 wins on the way in which to the Stanley Cup over the subsequent two months on Monday on the Garden.
But of their first spherical opening sport towards the Florida Panthers, the B’s had been reminded of simply how troublesome that journey shall be.
The Panthers’ forecheck gave the B’s suits at occasions within the first two intervals, however the B’s took management within the third interval to grind out a 3-1 victory.
The B’s, taking part in with out captain Patrice Bergeron, obtained objectives from David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk and obtained one other strong efficiency from Linus Ullmark (31 saves) in his first profession playoff victory
As one might need anticipated within the first sport of the playoffs, the B’s exploded out of the gate, incomes two fast energy performs within the first 5 minutes and scoring on the second.
Tyler Bertuzzi pounced on the rebound of a David Krejci one-timer and made a ravishing backhand go to Pastrnak for a simple purpose at 5:58.
But after that, Florida settled down effectively and spent a very good period of time within the Bruins’ zone, holding a 15-8 shot benefit. Most of the photographs got here from the skin, however the B’s had been having a tricky time with the Florida forecheck. Still, Ullmark, taking part in his first sport since leaving a sport final Tuesday with a decrease physique damage, needed to be sharp within the first and he was.
At the opposite finish, the B’s had two glittering possibilities that the Panther goalie Alex Lyon turned away. Both alternatives got here on 2-on-1s.
On the primary one, Krejci arrange Bertuzzi for a redirect, however Lyon flashed the correct pad to kick it out. The subsequent one got here when Taylor Hall stole the puck excessive within the defensive zone and took off. He waited for Trent Frederic to hitch the play and fed him for the fast shot, however Lyon learn it effectively and thwarted the prospect.
But in addition to Lyon performed within the first, he had a serious gaffe at 3:41 of the second. Brad Marchand took a feed from Charlie McAvoy within the impartial zone and seemed to be in search of faceoff when he took a long-distance shot from the left wing. It went off Lyon’s glove and into the web for a 2-0 lead.
At that time, the Garden followers began their “We Want the Cup” chant, however they needed to gradual their roll rapidly.
The B’s made one thing out of nothing for the Panthers, as effectively. Dmitry Orlov went again to play a rim-around on his backhand alongside the correct boards. Instead of transferring it to a teammate, the too-cute go went proper to Matthew Tkachuk on the circle. Tkachuk didn’t go up the reward, beating Ullmark underneath the blocker to get the Panthers again to inside a purpose at 6:34.
Lyon, in the meantime, regarded unaffected by his unhealthy purpose when, on anothr 2-on-1, he snared Frederic’s one-timer off one other Hall go.
But the B’s obtained their two-goal lead again at 17:32 with some good, arduous work. Pavel Zacha merely beat Sasha Barkov for a free puck behind the web and obtained it out to McAvoy for a shot. Both Zacha and Betuzzi had swings on the free puck however, with Lyon down within the butterfly place, the puck sat on the aspect of his pad like a golf ball on tee for Jake DeBrusk, who whacked it residence.
The B’s tightened up within the third interval and appeared to take a three-goal lead with 3:16 left within the third but it surely was known as again when, after a overview, it was proven that Garnet Hathaway had knocked the puck out of Lyon’s glove.
Still, the B’s gave up little or no down the stretch, even with Lyon pulled for the additional skater.
Source: www.bostonherald.com