The Boston Bruins were 4-0 against the Florida Panthers during the 2023-24 NHL regular season and not much changed in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series, with the Bruins winning easily on the road. Game 2 is Wednesday night, with Florida again a solid home favorite.

Among the 192 days of the regular season, the Bruins (159) or Panthers (28) held first place in the Atlantic Division for 187 days, including either team holding the spot for 183 days dating back to Oct. 19.

Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 2 Information

That's a Game 1 win for the @NHLBruins! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/WSAHQLxDdf

— NHL (@NHL) May 7, 2024

• When: Wednesday, May 8th, 2024, 7:30 PM ET
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub FM (Bruins) // 560 The Joe WQAM (Panthers)
• Live Stream: NHL Network
• NHL Betting Odds: Bruins (+1.5) // Panthers (-1.5)

Why Bet on the Boston Bruins?

Boston is the second team in the last decade to play multiple best-of-seven playoff series in a single postseason against a team they were undefeated against in the regular season (minimum three games played), defeating both Toronto and Florida in each of their four meetings in 2023-24. The only other team to do so was Tampa Bay in 2014-15 (5-0-0 vs. MTL & 3-0-0 vs. NYR).

Meanwhile, Jeremy Swayman was stellar for Boston, stopping 38 of 39 shots in the win. A turnover led to the Panthers’ lone goal in the second period. Swayman has allowed a single goal for the fourth time in seven playoff outings. His other three starts have seen him give up just two tallies each time. Swayman is 5-2 with a 1.42 GAA and a .955 save percentage this postseason.

He became the eighth goaltender in NHL history to allow two or fewer goals in each of his first seven starts of a single postseason. The others: Clint Benedict (9 GS in 1928), Jaques Plante (8 GS in 1969), Terry Sawchuk (8 GS in 1952), Jean-Sebastian Giguere (7 GS in 2007), Cam Ward (7 GS in 2006), Nikolai Khabibulin (7 GS in 2004) and Charlie Gardiner (7 GS in 1931).

The Bruins have allowed three goals or fewer in each of their first eight games of a postseason for the third time in franchise history, following a pair of 12-game runs to start 1999 and 1939. Boston is the first team to accomplish the feat since the Islanders and Canadiens each had 10-game stretches to begin the 2020 postseason.

Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo was in question Monday after the birth of his son Monday morning but he rejoined the team in time to play and had a goal along with six hits, three blocked shots and a plus-3 rating. Carlo scored the back-breaking goal late in the second period to put Boston ahead 3-1.

Morgan Geekie, Mason Lohrei, Justin Brazeau and Jake DeBrusk also had goals for Boston. Pavel Zacha had a pair of assists for the Bruins, who scored three times in the final 7:08 of the second period to erase a 1-0 deficit and seize control.

Boston improved to 60-51 all-time in Game 1s of a best-of-seven series and joined Montreal (75-49) as just the second franchise in NHL history with at least 60 wins in that scenario. Their 17 all-time wins in Game 1 on the road are tied with the Rangers (17-33) for the second most and trail just the Stars/North Stars (19-17). In defeat, Florida led 30-21 in scoring chances at 5-on-5. The Bruins led 26-11 in blocked shots.

Why Bet on the Florida Panthers?

Florida upset Boston in Round 1 last year, when the Bruins were the Presidents’ Trophy winners. The Panthers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in Game 1 of this year’s series on Monday night on Matthew Tkachuk’s fourth goal of these playoffs at 11:45 of the second, but it was all Boston from that point as the B’s rolled to a shockingly easy 5-1 win.

Tkachuk now has 10 points in these playoffs and a six-game points streak, which is a franchise record. Tkachuk became the seventh U.S.-born player in the past 20 years to record a postseason-opening point streak of at least six games. He joined Auston Matthews (8 GP in 2023), Jake Guentzel (7 GP in 2022), Adam Fox (7 GP in 2022), Austin Watson (6 GP in 2018), Zach Parise (6 GP in 2014) and Jeremy Roenick (6 GP in 2004).

Sergei Bobrovsky struggled in net, allowing four goals on 28 shots. The fifth goal was an empty-netter. Bobrovsky was excellent for the first half of the game, but the Bruins got to him three times in 6:47 late in the second period and never looked back. The 35-year-old goalie has allowed 18 goals over six postseason appearances, going 4-2 in those contests.

“We weren’t great tonight,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “I don’t know that the game was exactly like the score, but it doesn’t really matter. They played well. They looked like they were in a bit of a rhythm. I thought they played a very patient game.”

Hard to imagine the Panthers playing that poorly again, and they can’t afford another home loss.

Bruins vs. Panthers Betting Trends

• Boston is 4-2 SU in the last 6 games.
• The Bruins are 5-0 SU in its last 5 games against Florida.
• The total went under in 4 of Boston’s last 5 games.
• Toronto is 8-2 SU in the last 10 games.
• The Maple Leafs are 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home.
• The total went over in 4 of Florida’s last 5 games.

Bruins vs. Panthers 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 1 Expert Betting Predictions

The Panthers should get the win on at home on Wednesday night to tie the series.

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