The Boston Bruins will open the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs against an Atlantic Division rival.
The B’s and Ottawa Senators will square off in the postseason for the first time ever next week. The playoffs begin Wednesday, April 12, but the times and dates for this first-round series have not yet been announced. Ottawa has home-ice advantage.
The Senators finished the regular season in second place in the Atlantic with 98 points. The B’s settled for third place with 95 points. Boston and the Toronto Maple Leafs both earned 95 points, but the Bruins won the tiebreaker because of their 42-39 edge in regulation and overtime wins (ROW).
The Leafs are the second wild-card team as a result and will play the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Washington Capitals in Round 1. Toronto’s loss Sunday to the Columbus Blue Jackets sealed its fate.
Ottawa is a much better matchup for Boston than Washington. Even tough the Bruins were 0-3-1 versus the Sens during the regular season, Ottawa has much less talent than Washington at every position. The Senators also are a much younger team than the Caps and have far less playoff experience.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
