Monday, May 01, 2023

Bruins choke in Game 7: Best regular-season team in NHL history played with fear throughout Round 1




for too many stretches of Game 7, an unfamiliar problem flared up as it had throughout Round 1: Fear.

The Bruins looked frightened. Too scared to make plays. Too quick to defer to a teammate. Meanwhile, the Panthers played with swagger, desperation and fearlessness throughout the series…

The goaltending mismanagement was just one reason the Bruins are now a punchline. …Montgomery shook up his lineup to the point where unfamiliarity settled in.

THAT was when they blinked, I thought. Starting the backup goalie for the VEZINA Trophy winner showed doubt, a sign of panic.