As the second round of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs get going, we are here at Last Word to give you all you need to know on the upcoming action. This time around it is a rivalry based purely on recent Eastern Conference supremacy, the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins. According to betting prognosticators, it appears the Panthers are favourites. For example, Bet365 has them at -210 to win the series. This line was current prediction odds for the Boston and Florida series at the time of publication. So, as a heads up, please check for the latest odds before locking in your pick.
To Begin the Boston and Florida Series Outcome Prediction a Review of the Season Series
One thing to consider looking back on the season series between the two clubs, is the Bruins’ consistency. Yes, the Panthers had various personnel issues on the blueline to start the season, as Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad missed time. But that should do nothing to takeaway from the fact the Bruins were 4-0 in the season series. This included two great playoff preview type matchups since late March. Like the series against the Leafs, the Bruins just seem to find ways to win. Two of the regular season matchups against the Panthers went to overtime. If the regular season series is any indication, this has all the makings of a great series.
Bruins Key to Victory
Don’t deviate from the gameplan, and, oh yeah, have David Pastrnak step up. Head Coach Jim Montgomery put the bug into Pastrnak’s ear late in the series, and it seemed to work. He went on to score the series cliching goal in overtime in game seven. Therefore, the first key to Boston victory, is having Pastrnak produce. The next important part is status quo in net. All season, Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark would rotate. However, given the variable of occasional extra rest in the playoffs, sometimes goalies might be good to go back-to-back. Combined with the fact, Swayman was just so dominate against the Leafs, it was hard not to go with him. He ended up playing six of the seven games, including all four victories. In the Panthers season series, Ullmark was the more impressive of the two with a 3-0 record, 1.62 GAA and a .947 SV%.
Panthers Key to Victory
The Panthers key to victory are be the Stanley Cup contenders they are, and be the team that made the finals last year. They are a physical team, built for playoff hockey. And they have the elite players to back it up. In goal, Sergei Bobrovsky is near on his form as a two-time Vezina Trophy winner. He had a .915 SV% and 2.37 GAA in 58 regular season games. Their defence is very strong, between Gustav Forsling, Ekblad, and even someone like Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the third pairing, they are extremely stingy as a group. For Florida, if their best players are the best players in the series, they should win. This means Anton Lundell continuing to fill-in admirably without Sam Bennett, who’s ruled out of game one tonight.
Our Final Prediction Between Florida and Boston
At the end of the day, Florida seems too deep, and should move on to the 2024 Eastern Conference finals. If Boston can continue to play their patient style, and take the opportunities when they come, they can prevail. The problem with that, is this is the playoffs, and everyone leaves it all out on the ice. The Panther gamebreakers, like Aleksander Barkov or Matthew Tkachuk will not be stopped.
Prediction: Panthers take the series 4-1.
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Main photo: Kim Klement Neitzel – USA TODAY Sports
