And according to NESN.com’s James Murphy, drawing Philly was a best-case scenario for the sixth-seeded B’s.
“You can’t ask for anything better,” Murph said, “especially after taking out Buffalo, proving they can win at home in that series. They seem to have a lot of confidence on home ice, and I think they couldn’t ask for anything better than this. This is great. The TD Garden is going to be rocking to open the series, and if it ever goes seven games, they’re going to have that seventh game on home ice.”
Murph also said that the Bruins will benefit from not having the long layoff that they had last year after sweeping Montreal out of the first round.
“There was a lot of time for complacency to creep in, maybe some overconfidence,” he said of last spring. “They didn’t have that now, they only had a few days.”
The Bruins will also add their best offensive weapon in Marc Savard, but in doing so, they could be without an important character guy in Shawn Thornton.
“They’re going to miss Shawn Thornton,” Murph said. “I know he doesn’t show up a lot on the scoresheet, but his leadership on the bench, just having him around in the dressing room … [he brings] those little intangibles that you miss.”
While last year’s season ended in a disappointing Game 7 in Boston, Murph said that the experience of losing can only make this team more prepared for this year.
“They’re going to remember [losing last year], and I think they remember that every time they step on the ice now in the playoffs,” he said. “That definitely helped them grow, and they’re a seasoned team.”
Watch Murph’s entire conversation with Cole Wright below.
