Much like the first game, the second game was a lopsided affair. However, this time it was not the Boston Bruins in the driver’s seat. The Florida Panthers took the Game 1 loss personally and came out with a vengeance. You saw the more dominant version of the Panthers, who defeated the Bruins 6-1.
It was an ugly game for the Bruins all around, as they did not have their best effort. The tone was set for Game 3, as it turned into a physical affair. Here are three key takeaways from the lopsided loss.
Florida Dominant at Five-on-Five
During the 2023-24 regular season, the Panthers were the best defensive team at five-on-five play. They allowed the second fewest shot attempts and allowed the fewest goals. It is what made them successful and they put that on full display in Game 2.
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This was a much different Panthers team that showed up in Game 1. They were not bad but you could see the long rest had them feeling rusty. It took one game to get it into gear and the Panthers were their normal dominant selves. So dominant that they did not give the Bruins any room to breathe and generate any offense.
By the midway point of the third period, the Bruins went 15 minutes without a shot on net. That’s a testament to how good the Panthers’ defense was in terms of suppressing the Bruins’ chances. Over the course of the game, the Panthers held the Bruins to 26 shot attempts and 11 shots on goal during five-on-five play. Furthermore, the Panthers held the Bruins to 16 shots on goal. It was not just the quantity of the shots that the Panthers didn’t allow, but the quality as well.
In all situations, the Panthers allowed only nine high-danger shot attempts, and five made it on goal. With the limited offense they were able to generate, the Bruins finished the game with a subpar 2.34 expected goals for. The Panthers showed how dominant they could be and even made the Bruins pay with the man advantage.
Bruins Being Undisciplined Costs Them
If there was any takeaway from the third period of Game 2, it was that the tone was set for Game 3 in Boston on Friday night (May 10). It got physical and you saw many guys get ejected from the game. In fact, in a span of 2:23, there was a combined 114 penalty minutes. The officials decided to play it safe and have the guys leave the game before things got way out of hand. You even saw a superstar scrap between David Pastrnak and Matthew Tkachuk. It was a great display of leadership by Pastrnak, who had his first fight since 2018 against a guy in Tkachuk who is not afraid to drop the gloves.
For the Bruins, being undisciplined goes beyond the scrums and scraps. Over the course of the game, the Bruins handed the Panthers six power play opportunities. The penalty kill has been sensational, having a 95.8% success rate up until this point but eventually, the luck will run out.
The Panthers sustained good pressure and fired 21 shot attempts toward the net, of which eight made it on goal. It was never just the quantity, but the quality, and the Panthers finished the game with 1.82 expected goals with the man advantage. They ultimately capitalized, as they went one for six in the game, thanks to captain Aleksander Barkov. The Bruins’ penalty kill has been good, but giving the Panthers any form of life with the man advantage is a recipe for disaster. Not to mention, Sam Reinhart, who had 27 power play goals in the regular season, is the last player the Bruins need to get into a groove when down a man. No matter the opponent, if you give them chances they will capitalize.
Swayman Human for the First Time These Playoffs
This was the toughest start for Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Up until this point, he had never allowed more than two goals in a single start. In Game 2 against the Panthers, he finished the game with four goals against and got pulled in the third period. Granted, the team in front of him did him no favors and got completely dominated by the relentless Panthers pressure.
Swayman stopped 19 of the 23 shots he faced, which saw him finish with a .826 save percentage. Furthermore, he had a subpar minus-0.46 goals saved above expected and surrendered three goals in the high-danger area of the ice.
Linus Ullmark came in to relieve him and also surrendered two goals. The Bruins allowed 12 goals in the seven games of Round 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and in this game met the halfway point at six. Swayman has been the story of the playoffs, as he has been playing at a Conn Smythe level. However, last night was the most human he’s looked all postseason but he isn’t the first goalie these playoffs to have an off night.
Regroup for Game 3 and Shake This Loss Off
Two games down and a lopsided win for each club. It was never going to be easy, especially against the Panthers. The Bruins were able to steal a game down in Sunrise, but got to see the real Panthers in Game 2.
Game 3’s tone has officially been set in what should still be a physical series. Going forward, the Bruins will want to stay more disciplined and not give the Panthers any extra chances. Also, they’ll want to follow the Game 1 recipe and continue to test Sergei Bobrovsky and get through the pesky Panthers’ defense. We have a series on our hands, so get the popcorn ready.
