Panthers, Bruins set to meet again in playoff rematch, this time in Round 2
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — There are no shortage of storylines for this Florida-Boston rematch.
There’s the Panthers, trying to move another step closer toward a return to the Stanley Cup Final. There’s the Bruins, looking to avenge a shocking upset in a Round 1 series last season. The rested Panthers having just gotten a few days off, the razor-sharp Bruins rolling in after a Game 7 overtime win over Toronto.
Florida coach Paul Maurice summed it all up succinctly.
“None of that matters when the puck drops,” Maurice said.
He’s probably right. A second-round series between the Panthers and Bruins starts Monday night in South Florida, the two best teams in the Atlantic Division squaring off with a trip to the NHL’s final four on the line. Florida rallied from a 3-1 deficit to stun Boston in Round 1 a year ago, and the Bruins needed to exorcise those Game 7 overtime demons on Saturday night to beat Toronto and keep their season alive.