The stage is set and the Boston Bruins will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in their quest for the Stanley Cup.
These two teams met last year with Boston sweeping Carolina after the Canes shocked the hockey world and eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.
It will be no easy task for the Bruins, especially considering Carolina made easy work of the hapless New York Rangers in the round-robin tournament.Boston, meanwhile, went 0-3-0.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy knows the threat the Hurricanes pose, particularly their top line of Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teräväinen, noting they have a “sixth sense.”
More Bruins: Tuukka Rask, David Pastrnak Absent From Practice Before Series Vs. Hurricanes
But Cassidy also sees some of his own top line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand in the opponents.
“They’re really well connected. They remind me of our — you know when Bergeron’s line is going,” Cassidy told reporters during a Zoom call Monday. “They can turn away from pressure and they don’t need a lot of time to find each other. Seem to have that sixth sense on the ice of where they’re going to be and that probably comes with repetition, being good players. They have it seems like a good balance of size with Svechnikov, Aho kind of dishes and passes. Teräväinen is more of a guy that looks to thread the needle but certainly has some speed to back you off.
“They’re going to be a handful, just like our guys are when they’re going. You have to limit their touches. You have to close on them quickly when you can. And do damage control by not giving them easy chances off the rush. That’s what I’ve always found against good offensive lines. You have to make them work for every inch of the ice and if they’re willing to do that and have success doing that, then you have to tip your hat to them.”
We’ll get our first look at the two teams going head-to-head Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.
