Atlantic Division Final
(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (A3) Montreal Canadiens
Season series: Montreal won 3-1-0
They have a history: Did you happen to catch something about how these teams meet more than crackers and cheese? This will be the 34th playoff series between Montreal and Boston, who’ve waged 170 post-season tilts dating back to 1929, by far the most of any two NHL clubs. Montreal holds a 24-9 all-time series advantage due mostly to the fact that between 1946 and 1987 the Habs tormented the Bruins with 18 consecutive series victories. Since then, Boston has claimed seven of 11 playoff sets, including wins in the two most recent showdowns in 2009 and ’11. This season marks the first time the former Adams Division rivals have met past the first round since 1992.
For the Bruins to win: Just keep ‘er steady. Boston bucked its recent trend of dragging out first-round series—its past three before this year went to overtime of Game 7—so the B’s should be more healthy and rested than usual for Round 2. The Bruins’ depth is staggering, as young defencemen Dougie Hamilton, Kevan Miller and Torey Krug have stepped up to fill the void left by injured blue-liner Dennis Seidenberg. Other new contributors like sturdy centre Carl Soderberg and scoring winger Reilly Smith must have opponents around the league thinking, Where do they keep finding these guys? Boston’s top line of David Krejci between Jarome Iginla and Milan Lucic got rolling on the back end of the team’s five-game triumph over the Detroit Red Wings, and the power play—one thing that has troubled this team, at times, in the past—connected at a ridiculous 37.5-percent pace. In goal, Vezina candidate Tuukka Rask ended Round 1 with a 1.16 goals-against average and .961 save percentage. Tally it up, and it’s easy to understand why Boston finished atop the regular-season standings and has the best chance of the remaining eight post-season clubs to make the Stanley Cup Final.
Best Boston storyline: Things go according to script. And that’s slightly less assured with the Canadiens, because Montreal has some inherent ability to drive the Bruins bonkers. Even in recent years, as Boston has elevated to elite status, the Habs give the Bruins fits. That’s why the B’s must stay on task and not give in to extracurricular temptation. The beauty of the Bruins is, they’re not dependent on one or two players to carry them. As long as half the roster doesn’t go dark at the same time, they can outlast teams in a long series. One oddity that needs to change is Rask’s record against Montreal; the Finn is 3-10-3 all-time with a .908 save percentage.
Leading playoff scorers: Patrice Bergeron and Torey Krug, 5 points (one goal, four assists) each
Game 1 starter: Tuukka Rask 4-1, 1.16 GAA, .961 save percentage
For the Canadiens to win: While the Habs caught a break facing an undermanned Tampa Bay team in Round 1, Montreal also played its best hockey of the season. Anything less against the Bruins and they might as well stay home. The big development versus the Bolts was contributions from every line, thanks largely to the unexpected rise of Rene Bourque. The big left winger was a frequent healthy scratch in the regular season, but he netted three goals in four games against Tampa while registering 22 shots, by far the most of any Habs skater. It’s critical that Bourque and his centre, Lars Eller, continue to be a force. Both posses the size that’s in short supply for the Habs. The emergence of the bottom three lines lessened the burden on Montreal’s top trio of David Desharnais between Max Pacioretty and Thomas Vanek. While all three found the net versus Tampa, the No. 1 unit must get hot for Montreal to narrow the gap with Boston. The power play, too, will have to shake its recent struggles and become a big factor. Much of that will be tied to P.K. Subban, who was solid against Tampa and, somehow, someway, always finds his way to the heart of the story. Last and still furthest from least, Carey Price has to shine. If he’s not a save or two better than Rask, the fun ends quickly in Montreal.
Best Canadiens storyline: Their speed starts driving the Bruins batty, and Boston reacts by being overly aggressive and taking bad penalties. The Habs were a much better puck-possession team through four playoff games than in the regular season, a trend that must continue. Montreal needs something that turns this series on its ear, whether it’s otherworldly goaltending from Price, a crazy-productive stretch from Pacioretty and Vanek, or just a whole lot more of the same from guys who were previously non-factors like Bourque, Eller and Daniel Briere. It will also be interesting to keep an eye on what coach Michel Therrien does with Montreal’s undersized third defence pair of Mike Weaver and Francis Bouillon. If the Bruins continually out-muscle them, Therrien may go to the bullpen for bigger bodies in Douglas Murray or Jarred Tinordi.
Leading playoff scorers: Brendan Gallagher, Lars Eller and P.K. Subban, 5 points each
Game 1 starter: Carey Price, 4-0, 2.33 GAA, .904 save percentage
Matchup to watch: Just over a year ago, Habs defenceman Alexei Emelin stepped up to make a hit on the runaway train known as Milan Lucic and wound up being helped off the ice. Emelin required off-season knee surgery as a result of the collision. After taking a few months to find his game, he’s playing his best hockey since the injury. This year he laid an open-ice hit on Lucic the Bruins thought was low—cue the kerfuffle. These two will have more than one physical encounter that registers on the Richter scale.
Big question: Can anything divert the Bruins from a seemingly inevitable march to the final? If so, does that thing need to be Price, for the first time in his career, flat-out stealing a series for Montreal?
Best bet: Boston in six.
[polldaddy poll=8004302]