Five reasons why Bruins are in Stanley Cup Final
By Joey AlfieriMay 17, 2019, 11:09 AM EDT
The Boston Bruins became the first team to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final when they eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. Unlike most other teams that go all the way, the Bruins' journey seemed to get easier and easier as the playoffs wore on. But why have they had so much success this postseason?
The Bruins managed to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games in the first round, it took them six games to send the Columbus Blue Jackets packing in the second round, and they took care of business against Carolina fairly easily.
"Obviously still a long way [to go], a lot of work left in front of us, but I thought we've been focused, and that's what you need," Patrice Bergeron said after eliminating the Hurricanes, per NHL.com. "Everyone is contributing, everyone is a leader in this locker room, and at this time of the year, that's what makes you advance."
Bergeron, of course, is right. This team is focused and they've battled their way through three very different opponents. But let's break down specific elements of their game that led to them being the first team in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.
• Tuukka Rask: The Bruins netminder has been terrific throughout this postseason. If the playoffs ended today, there's no doubt that he'd be the favorite to land the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He owns a 12-5 record with a 1.84 goals-against-average and a .942 save percentage during these playoffs. Since dropping back-to-back games to the Blue Jackets early in the second round, Rask and the Bruins have rattled off seven consecutive wins.
"It means a lot. It's so difficult to advance in the playoffs, let alone make it to the Final," Rask said. "We need to really enjoy this but realize that we have lots of work to do. I mean, every year is a new year, different groups, you always think you have a chance, and I think the past few years we've really built something special here with a great group of guys. Really, just happy to be part of it."
Rask is in a zone right now. No matter who their next opponent is, St. Louis or San Jose, rattling the Bruins netminder's cage early on might be the key to winning it all.
• Depth: How many different players have scored a goal for the Bruins this postseason? 19. Yes, 19! I'm not going to list them all, but you get the point. When you can get that kind of contribution from your entire lineup, you're setting yourself up for success. Head coach Bruce Cassidy has an incredible first line that he can throw out there in any situation, but the lines that follow are also reliable. Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson, who were both acquired via trade, have fit in perfectly. No team can rival the Bruins in that department.
• Special Teams: Cassidy's team has won the special teams battle against each of their three opponents in the postseason. Their penalty kill is ranked fourth at 86.3 percent and it's the best one among the three teams remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As for their power play, it's been lethal. It's currently clicking at 34 percent, which is impressive considering they're the only team to be over 30 percent. By comparison, the Sharks are at 18 percent while the Blues are at 16.7 percent. Special teams will be key, again, in the Stanley Cup Final.
• First Line: Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak haven't played together throughout this entire postseason, but they've been a critical part of Boston's success. Heading into the Stanley Cup Final, they've accounted for 22 of their team's 57 goals this postseason (38.6 percent). These three will continue to be a handful for their next opponent.
• Top four defensemen: Charlie McAvoy is the Bruins' best defender, but they found a way to win without him in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. Still, He's averaged over 24 minutes of ice time in the postseason and he's picked up 7 points in 16 games along the way. Zdeno Chara, who missed Game 4 with an undisclosed injury, has also logged some important minutes on the penalty kill. The pairing of Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug has also come up big repeatedly for Boston during their run.
MORE: Stanley Cup Final 2019 schedule, TV info
Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri.