2 Bruins to give credit to, 2 who still needs to step it up following Game 5 win
Yes, Boston lives to see another day following a win on Tuesday night, but not everyone looked spectacular in the win.
Well, well, well... The Boston Bruins live to see another day in the limelight that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs after defeating the Florida Panthers by a score of 2-1 on Tuesday night.
They won by the narrowest margin in hockey - one goal - and won by the second-narrowest score - two goals to one - but in the playoffs, a win is a win, and when it means coming back home to force a Game 7, something tells me they will take it.
While the Bruins will take the victory for what it is, the Panthers will be out for payback in Game 6 in Boston. Here are two players who we can give some credit to, and two who still need to step it up in order to keep Boston's season alive and extend the series with Florida.
Giving some credit
Jeremy Swayman (Goaltender)
I mean first of all, you have to give credit where credit is due. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman has saved the Bruins' season multiple times throughout the series, but no series of saves was any better than in the closing seconds of Tuesday night's game.
Swayman stopped multiple chances from the Panthers including a shot from point-blank range by Sam Reinhart to preserve the visitors' lead in the waning seconds of the game.
THAT IS THE SWAY 👏 #NHLBruins | @BoschToolsNA pic.twitter.com/KB0FLUXgah
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 15, 2024
Swayman finished the contest with 28 saves. While it's not a series-high for him with his previous high coming just the game before where he made 38, what impressed most was how calm andcompsed he was at all times in the crease on Tuesday. Some goalies would crack under the pressure, but not Swayman.
Charlie McAvoy (Defenseman)
Going into Game 5, one of the keys to Boston winning was getting good shots on net and getting them through traffic to Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky seeing as he looked a bit shaky and nervous to say the least thus far.
When you hear about success in shots on goal, the typical thought process goes to players like David Pastrnak or Charlie Coyle, maybe even Jake DeBrusk. Instead, the key offensive play from the Bruins came from an unlikely source: defenseman, Charlie McAvoy.
McAvoy delivered the game-winning goal on a wrist shot from the center point that beat Bobrovsky on the glove side. The goal was challenged by the Panthers on the contention that it was goaltender interference, but much to the relief of Bruins' fans, it stood.
7️⃣3️⃣ strikes. pic.twitter.com/3uzr58NbZz
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 15, 2024
McAvoy also added a helper to his resume on Morgan Geekie's goal, giving him two points on the night. He also took a team-leading six shots on goal, and took home the second-highest time on the ice at 23:26 - second only to fellow defenseman Hampus Lindholm, who skated to the tune of a 25:33 clip.
Who still needs to step it up
David Pastrnak (forward)
I never thought I would be saying this, but Pastrnak really needs to step it up if Boston wants this series to go any further against Florida. Yes, he scored in Game 4 in Boston, but that only gives him three points in his last five games since the overtime-winning goal in Game 7 vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Pastrnak has tallied four goals throughout the playoffs, but as someone who is, as they say, getting paid the big bucks, the expectation remains that the scoring should be going through you, not past you.
In the series with the Leafs, head coach Jim Montgomery called out Pastrnak and he came back with a vengeance, maybe it's time for it to happen again.
Anyone taking a faceoff
Part of Boston's stumbling points throughout the playoffs have been at the faceoff dot where they have either allowed a goal because of it or not been able to sustain a potential offensive possession. All of this could be remedied if they could be a bit more consistent in the circle.
With the average faceoff winning percentage at 45.5% (minimum 100 faceoffs taken), that does not bode well for you defensively or offensively. 50% would be reasonable, but even so, reasonable is not what you want out of a team looking to steal a series from another team who has more offensive depth.
The best faceoff winning percentage, according to Fox Sports is Coyle with a 46.1%. Above the average for the top four players, but still not great at all. If the Bruins want to take their series with the Panthers more than six games, they will have to dig in on the dot and both learn from their mistakes.
When/where is Game 6?
Game 6 will be in Boston at TD Garden on Friday, May 17 - puck drop at the moment is TBD.