Geoff JohnsonBoth the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t have many problems to get rid of the Rangers and the Senators, respectively. Game one of the Eastern conference finals will go underway this Saturday at 8PM ET at the CONSOL Energy Center.
Boston won game 5 against the Rangers 3-1 and ended New York dream. “We probably played with fire in the first round and almost got burnt,” Claude Julien said. “We knew we couldn’t let our guard down (against New York). Because if we did, they would come right back at us.”
The Bruins reached the third round of the NHL playoffs for the second time since 1992. “We wanted to make sure we ended this series — for all the right reasons,” including rest for players who went to overtime in Game 7 against Toronto, Julien said. “It also gives Tuukka the opportunity to laugh about that goal.”
The Penguins ended the series against the Senators a few days ago, and they were just waiting to see which on will be the rival. However, captain and playmaker Sidney Crosby received great news as he can play without the plastic apparatus protecting his lower face for the first time in a long time.
“You use the rest to your advantage,” Crosby said after practice Sunday. “If we had to start tomorrow, I think we’d be ready and be OK. But in the playoffs you can never have too much rest and preparation before the series starts. So we’ll make the most of it.”
The Penguins are -170 favorites for game one in the moneyline, and the Bruins are listed +150 for the upset.
