3 Boston Bruins' on the hot-seat entering pivotal Game 3 against the Florida Panthers

After a 6-1 loss, or beatdown, at the hands of the Florida Panthers in Game 2 of their second-round series Wednesday night, the Boston Bruins return home for Game 3 Friday night at the TD Garden. Boston won Game 1, 5-1, so Game 3 will be a pivotal momentum game in the series that has now turned into a best-of-five-series.

The fact the Bruins have made it this far without some of their top players standing out is rather stunning. A big reason why they are where they are is because of goaltender Jeremy Swayman and his play. There has been a lack of production or impact from players on the roster not named Jeremy Swayman who need to step up if the Black and Gold are going to win three more games against Florida starting Friday night. Here are three Bruins’ on the hot seat ahead of Game 3.

Pavel Zacha

One player that has had trouble in multiple areas this postseason, it’s Pavel Zacha. Like Charlie Coyle, John Beecher, Trent Frederic, Jesper Boqvist, or anyone else who has had to take a faceoff, the end result hasn’t been good. Zacha has won just 40% of his draws and that is a number that certainly needs to go up.

He did pick up an assist on Coyle's first period goal in Game 2 with a pass across the front of the net and he has five assists in nine games, but he is going on Year 2 in Boston without finding the back of the net in the playoffs. Yes, there is certainly more pressure on him now that Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci have retired, but this is turning into another playoff run where he has been rather non-existent. That needs to change beginning in Game 3.