Story by
Bruins vs. Sabres: NHL Experts predict if Boston can pull playoff series upset
- Story by
- Bruins vs. Sabres: NHL Experts predict if Boston can pull playoff series upset
If the Bruins do pull off a first-round upset in their best-of-seven series against the Sabres which starts today in Buffalo, they will have a legitimate claim to say that nobody believed in them, at least not the experts on either side of the border.
Here's a sampling of the picks prior to Sunday night's Game 1.
Advertisement
The Athletic
The Athletic doesn't have much faith in the Bruins. Of their 30 hockey reporters who made predictions, only three picked Boston. Two had the Bruins in seven games and one in six. Everybody else picked the Sabres.
Shayna Goldman wrote:
" The Bruins feel like such a wild card because some nights they look like such a threat, and other times it's just patchy defense covered up by Jeremy Swayman. I think the Sabres are taking things — they're a wagon after all — but I won't be surprised if it goes seven. "
ESPN
ESPN's Greg Wyshynski also likes Buffalo's season to continue.
Advertisement
"Bruins coach Marco Sturm said this week that "we are bigger, stronger, and we are more physical." Even if that were true — and a glance at the rosters says it isn't — the Sabres showed in their epic regular-season battles against the Lightning that they can take a punch, wipe their mouths and score the next goal. Despite their postseason pedigree, they're ready for this. " Sabres eliminate the Bruins in five games.
SportsNet Canada
SportsNet's experts weren't much more optimistic. Of their 20 prognosticators, 17 took the Sabres.
USA Today
People picking up the print copy at hotel rooms around the United States will find USA Today's experts leaning toward Buffalo. But Kevin Skiver likes Boston in an upset. He wrote:
Advertisement
" Bruins in 6. Buffalo gets a brutal first-round draw after snapping its playoff drought, taking on a Bruins team with one of hockey's most experienced playoff goalies in Jeremy Swayman and Charlie McAvoy alongside David Pastrnak. While Buffalo took the Atlantic this year, Boston went 3-1 against the Sabres this season. That may not always translate to a seven-game series, but we'll see if Buffalo can shrug the bear off its back in the postseason."
CBS
CBS' two experts both like Buffalo and don't think the series will go seven.
Alexander Baumgartner wrote :
" Boston won't be an easy out in the first round. David Pastrnak can take over a game and Morgan Geekie has been a big addition to the Bruins' offense. If Jeremy Swayman stands on his head in goal, he could steal the series. However, the Sabres have been hot all season, and I don't see that coming to an abrupt end in the first round after such a long postseason hiatus. With Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin leading the charge, Buffalo should be able to get this done. Pick: Sabres def. Bruins 4-2
Advertisement
More Bruins content
Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
