While the Bruins can definitely be happy with the win in Game 1, there were plenty of things to correct as well.
Here are the three keys to success for the Bruins in Game 2.
1. The defense needs to clog the lanes and protect Tuukka Rask
Tuukka Rask admittedly didn’t have a good game to open the series. He didn’t have a bad game either but he was not the calm and collected rookie we have seen throughout the stretch run and in the playoffs.
While Tuukka needs to regain that coolness, the defense in front of him must take care of business as well. On the Flyers’ third goal scored by Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell bumped Rask to the ice just prior to the goal and Rask seemed to be out of position as a result. If the referees won’t protect Rask, the defensemen must do the job.
2. Get the penalty kill back to normal
One constant throughout the season and in the playoffs has been the brilliance of the penalty kill which was a perfect 19-for-19 in the first round win over Buffalo. But in Game 1, the penalty killers seemed to be scrambling and lacked cohesiveness leading to two Flyers power-play goals. The penalty kill needs to get back the way they were in the first round. No one is perfect but they need to be as close to perfect as can be.
3. Keep driving to the net for rebounds
Give Brian Boucher credit for keeping his team in the game and later forcing overtime to go a lot longer than it should’ve by` withstanding a barrage of shots from the Bruins until 6:08 left in the extra frame when Marc Savard beat him.
But one thing Boucher did wrong was give off numerous juicy rebounds and if the Bruins drive the net more and keep a guy in front (hello, Milan Lucic and Blake Wheeler!), they can capitalize.
