Will Bruins, Flyers stage a Classic rematch?
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Call it a 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic rematch without the "Green Monster," which is currently occupied by other things.
Conventional wisdom said neither the seventh-seeded Flyers and sixth-seeded Bruins would see the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
So much for conventional wisdom.
The Flyers easily eliminated the New Jersey Devils, while the Bruins dispatched the Buffalo Sabres in six games.
What stands out in this Eastern Conference Semifinal is who will be in and out of the lineup. The Flyers are missing three important forwards -- Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne and Ian Laperriere -- while the Bruins are welcoming their top offensive player, Marc Savard, back into the lineup after a severe concussion. Those are significant changes for both teams and will go a long way in determining who will advance to the Eastern Conference finals.


The ageless Mark Recchi, 42, and David Krejci led the Bruins against the Sabres in the first round, with each totaling 3 goals and 2 assists in six games. Patrice Bergeron and Miroslav Satan each had 2 goals and 3 assists against Buffalo as the Bruins did a nice job getting scoring from multiple places. Aside from Michael Ryder's 2 goals and 1 assist, no other Bruins forward had a goal against the Sabres. But that's not unusual as the Bruins scored just 206 goals during the regular season, the fewest of the eight Eastern Conference playoff teams.
The Flyers will continue to need a balanced attack in the continued absence of Gagne and Carter. There has been talk of Gagne returning to the lineup as early as Game 3, but after having two screws surgically implanted in his right big toe just last Friday, that scenario is unlikely. Carter, who had a plate inserted into his right foot, is doubtful the remainder of the playoffs.


Rookie Johnny Boychuk trailed only Chara in playoff ice time among Bruins defensemen at 25:51 per game, and had a goal and 2 assists. Andrew Ference and Adam McQuaid were the third pairing on Boston's defense.
The Flyers have allowed 27.0 shots a game -- the second-lowest total among teams still playing. The club rarely yielded second or third opportunities against the Devils and that proved vital in finishing with a League-low 1.80 goals-against through the first round. They also blocked 85 shots.


"When it came to crunch time I thought he changed his approach, which I think is a huge testament to the coach and his staff, to be able to feel the changes that have to be done and to actually make those changes," Chiarelli said of Julien. "There are always little technical changes you can do and I really felt that he changed his approach, which I think was very helpful. ... I have to hand it to them -- they did a good job."
"Pete wants us to be on the go all the time," Danny Briere said. "I think, mentally, it was an adjustment to just get on the same page he was of on, of having us go on the forecheck all the time."

The Bruins also were perfect killing penalties against the Sabres, killing all 19 Buffalo power plays.

Tuukka Rask, Bruins -- Scoring goals has been a problem for the Bruins all season, and even with the return of Marc Savard, Boston can't be assured of becoming an offensive machine at this point. So the onus for Bruins success will rest on Rask's shoulders. He's played like a veteran this season and handled his first Stanley Cup experience with aplomb.
Danny Briere, Flyers -- He seemed to raise his game in the final two contests against the Devils, and Philadelphia steamrolled its opponent both times. Briere notched a pair of game-winners and 3 assists in five-games. He was centering a line with Hartnell and Ville Leino in Game 5 against New Jersey, and there's a strong possibility that line will remain intact.

The Bruins will win if ...: They can score some goals and give Rask and the defense some breathing room. Boston's game has little room for error because of the lack of scoring, so every goal, especially every goal that provides a lead, will be vital in taking the heat off Rask and the defensemen.
The Flyers will win if...: The Pronger-Carle and Timonen-Coburn defense pairs continue to fluster opposing forwards, while goalie Brian Boucher maintains his consistency in big spots -- something the Flyers have lacked in playoffs past. The forwards just need to continue their smart play with and without the puck, while remaining gritty and energetic.
Phil Coffey and Mike G. Morreale contributed to this story.