Boston Bruins have no reason to fear the San Jose Sharks
Whilst the San Jose Sharks would certainly present a strong challenge for the Boston Bruins, your Eastern Conference champions are goal-scorers. Poor goaltending will be torn apart by the likes of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and company.
Erik Karlsson, who the Bruins have seen plenty of over the years, isn’t looking like the player he was with the Ottawa Senators. He’s not quite over-the-hill but he’s certainly showing wear-and-tear from years of playing big minutes hurt.
His running buddy on the blue line, Brent Burns is absolutely a character and no doubt does make those around him better, but he offers more offensively than he does defensively – that’s always been the case. There are most definitely flaws in the Sharks’ line-up and the Boston Bruins could easily flaunt them.
Joe Thornton, no matter how sentimental the story and no matter how much Boston Bruins fans wouldn’t mind seeing him win the Cup against any other team, is facing the Bruins – so of course, it’s Boston we want to win!!
As for the week of resting up afforded to the Bruins; that could be a double-edged sword. You don’t want to head into a Stanley Cup final feeling rusty or not at the right level of competitiveness.
Equally though, who really wants to head into the biggest best-of-seven series of the year feeling banged up. The San Jose Sharks will have limited rest time to heal any play-off wounds. The Boston Bruins will have plenty. Surely that has to play as their biggest advantage.
It all depends how the players approach it – the management are getting advice from all the right places.
We’re still a few days off knowing who will be at the other end of the ice for the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, but if it’s the Sharks – we’ll be ready.