5 Boston Bruins who must play better to beat the Florida Panthers

Charlie Coyle & Pavel Zacha

One area where the Bruins struggled and struggled very badly in Games 5 and 6, was on face-offs. Yes, you can make the case that scratching John Beecher in Game 5 had something to do with it, but it can't be ignored that if there is one flaw with this Bruins team, it's up the middle. That is a position that GM Don Sweeney did not address in free agency or at the trade deadline after losing both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to retirement.

Charlie Coyle played well in the Florida series last spring when Bergeron and Krejci missed time with injuries and both Coyle and Pavel Zacha shined at different times this season at the dot, but they can only struggle so long and Boston can survive it. They are the top two pivots and they need to raise their face-off percentage this series if the Black and Gold are going to have any hope of advancing.

Getting a split in Florida in the first two games is a must before the series shifts back to Boston. They have a short turnaround and will play a Panthers' team that will be physical from the drop of the puck Monday night. In order to play the winner of the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers series in the Eastern Conference Final, the Bruins will need these players to step up.