Preview: Series shifts back to Florida as Bruins-Panthers face off in Game 6

Just the facts

When: Tonight, 7:30 PM

Where: FLA Live Arena - Sunrise, FL

How to follow: NESN, TNT, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Know your enemy

• Matthew Tkachuk: 3G-4A-7PTS; Carter Verhaeghe: 1G-4A-5PTS; Sam Bennet: 3G-1A-4PTS
• Sergei Bobrovsky: 1-1-0, .895 save percentage, 4.12 GAA

Game notes

Here we are again!

When I did the preview for Game 4 (I think), I wrote something to the effect of “we already know all about what to expect and what the Bruins need to do to be successful,” and that still rings true, two games later.

The Bruins are heading to FLA Live Arena in a similar spot to their last trip down to Florida: on the heels of a disappointing home loss, looking to right the ship before things spiral.

Obviously coming down here in a 1-1 series is very different than coming down here with a 3-2 series lead, but it’s not like the B’s should feel comfortable — everyone knows that anything can happen in a Game 7, and the B’s haven’t exactly been lights out at home in this series.

In a way, I feel like we’re all still waiting for the Bruins to play their best game in this series; Game 3 was pretty close, save for the goals allowed in garbage time.

Game 4 was good too, albeit a little more up and down.

You can argue ‘til you’re blue in the face about what the problem is, but at some point, the Panthers deserve credit for making it difficult on the Bruins. I’d argue the Bruins are beating themselves with their carelessness, but Florida’s playing a role.

The game plan for tonight should sound familiar from what was suggested before Game 3: take care of the puck and stay out of the box.

• Jim Montgomery said on Thursday that he’d consider going with Jeremy Swayman in Game 6, but you have to think Linus Ullmark will be back out there unless he’s hurt. While you could have claimed “rotation” earlier in the series, taking him out now would reek of punishment (that may be too harsh a word) for the end of Game 5.
• Montgomery also noted that David Krejci will travel with the team to Florida, though his status for Game 6 remains up in the air.
• I’d expect Trent Frederic to draw back in tonight, unless Krejci is indeed back, as that would force someone else out of the lineup.

See ya tonight!