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NHL Playoffs 2011 See Bruins In Familiar Position Against Flyers, But Can They Avoid a Collapse This Season?
The NHL playoffs 2011 find the Boston Bruins in very familiar territory in their Eastern Conference semifinal clash with the Philadelphia Flyers. After all, they led the Flyers by a very similar 3-0 margin in the Eastern Conference finals last season, only to watch as Philly took the final four games of the series and sent them home.
Now, the Bruins are in a position to take a 3-0 lead again, with a win in Wednesday’s Game 3 in Boston. Can they seal the deal this time around, or are they headed for another late-series crash?
After all, Philly is very much the same team it was last year, with it’s explosive offense, sturdy defense, and shaky goaltending. But, that goaltending, which would seem to be the team’s Achilles heel, is capable of getting on a phenomenal tear.
Simply put, the Flyers are fully capable of rallying from this deficit, even with three games still to play in Boston. They’re talented, confident and loaded with potential to steal this series again.
Must Read: NHL Free Agency 2011: The Ideal Signing for Each Team.
The biggest difference this time might be the Bruins’ offense. Last season, Boston was advancing through on a wing and a prayer, with the majority of their skill players hurt, or in the case of David Krejci, ineffective. Their offense lacked punch, and when it failed, they simply couldn’t keep up with Philly’s scoring.
But, this year, things are different. The Bruins have a full cadreof scorers, led by Patrice Bergeron, Nathan Horton, a resurgent David Krejci, Rich Peverly, Brad Marchand and Mark Recchi. The Bruins actually have the scoring touch to keep up with Philly, and when you combine it with their physical play, you’ve got a team built to win in the postseason.
Of course, none of it would be possible without the downright sublime play of Tim Thomas, who is delivering yet another Vezina quality showing, as well as vaulting himself into Conn Smythe territory with his heroics.
Last season, Thomas battled inconsistency, but in 2010-11, he’s been a rock in net. As long as he doesn’t decide to melt down, it’s tough to see Philly scoring the victory in the series.
Would I be stunned if the Flyers managed to make things interesting for the Bruins, possibly stealing a game or two? No; they’re still supremely talented, and we’ve seen them hit Thomas with salvos of shots that would cause most other goaltenders to wilt (52 shots in Game 2!).
But, given Boston’s offensive skills this season, I would be stunned if they managed to put on a repeat performance of last year’s collapse.