- What: Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins - East Semifinals
- When: Game 1 on Monday, May 6th
- Where: Amerant Bank Arena/TD Garden
It's a rematch of the first round from 2023 as the Florida Panthers will face the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. with a spot in the conference finals on the line. Game 1 is scheduled for Monday, May 6th at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. The Cats of course upset the Bruins in last year's playoffs in the conference quarterfinals in seven games and proceeded to make a run to the Cup before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights. Florida wiped the floor with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round, beating them in five games. As for Boston, they got past the Toronto Maple Leafs thanks to an OT goal from David Pastrnak in Game 7 on Saturday. Keep reading for the Panthers vs Bruins series picks.
Before we get into the odds, preview, and prediction, make sure to check out our NHL Playoffs Page and our Stanley Cup Odds.
Panthers vs Bruins Series Odds
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | -169 | -175 | -205 |
| Boston Bruins | +150 | +150 | +175 |
The Panthers, who won the Atlantic Division, are a clear favorite with odds as low as -205 to take this series. That's an implied win probability of 67.21%. The Bruins return at +150 and have a 40% chance of moving on to the conference finals. Boston surprisingly won all four of their regular season meetings.
Panthers Are a Force
Florida's improbable run to the Cup last season was seen as a bit of a fluke by some, but they quickly proved in 2023-24 that it wasn't by chance. This is a fantastic hockey team. The Cats went 52-24-6 in the regular season, finishing in first place in the Atlantic, which is arguably the toughest division in the NHL. Paul Maurice's squad flexed their muscle in the first round against Tampa, showing just why they're a legitimate contender.
The Panthers averaged a whopping four goals in the series while allowing just 2.80 per game, with their biggest victory coming in Game 5, beating Tampa 6-1. The leading catalysts were Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe, who both had nine points apiece. Verhaeghe scored five goals while Tkachuk had three. Sam Bennett was actually pretty quiet in the series but he still contributed three goals in the five contests. While Tampa isn't the same force of the past, Florida truly manhandled them.
Last year, the Cats rolled into the first round and took down the Bruins in seven games, which shocked the entire hockey world. It wouldn't exactly be considered an upset this time around, but also, Florida won't be taking Boston for granted, either. After all, they failed to beat them in the season.
Bruins Out For Revenge
You just know for a fact that Boston was praying to face the Panthers in the 2024 playoffs after things unfolded a year ago. The Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy then proceeded to choke in the conference quarterfinals. Many believed they'd take a step back in 2023-24, but Jim Montgomery's team was still a force. Boston went 47-20-15, finishing just one point behind the Panthers.
David Pastrnak had another ridiculous campaign, scoring 47 goals and contributing 63 helpers for a total of 110 points. Brad Marchand also added 67 points, while Charlie Coyle had 60. In the first round against the Leafs, the Bruins were up 3-1 and proceeded to blow their lead, but redeemed themselves in Game 7 as Pastrnak played hero in overtime to break Toronto's hearts in the postseason once again. Marchand was their best player in round one with three goals and five assists, while Pastrnak also contributed five points. Jake DeBrusk was a pleasant surprise with five points as well.
Although the Bruins only scored 2.57 times per contest in the last series, they also allowed a mere 1.71 goals per game, which is ridiculous. Jeremy Swayman was absolutely fantastic in net, making 30 saves in the series clincher. Linus Ullmark didn't play but he's a solid option for Montgomery, too. The Bruins' blue line and goaltending will certainly be tested by a Panthers team with a plethora of offensive weapons at their disposal. Regardless of how tough the series may be, revenge is undoubtedly on Boston's minds.
Panthers vs Bruins Series Picks
I expect this series to be highly entertaining. But despite the Cats struggling against the Bruins in the season, playoff hockey is a whole different animal and Florida is no joke. They will advance to the East Finals.
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