PPP After Dark: It’s all up to Boston

Boston Bruins vs.Florida Panthers

7:30 PM - TD Garden, Boston

Broadcast: NESN, NHLN-US, Sportsnet, Sportsnet-360

Opponent’s SB Nation site: Stanley Cup of Chowder, Litter Box Cats

Hello Toronto Maple Leafs fans. It is I, your host for tonight, watching avidly to see whether Toronto will face the Boston Bruins or the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of playoffs. We will likely not see our old pal James Reimer in net tonight — instead, it’ll be Roberto Luongo with his .929 SV%.

Here’s a fun quote from Litter Box Cats about the match: “Luongo, who played in his 1,000th game and defeated Boston on Thursday night, had a disastrous 2011 Stanley Cup final against the Bruins and now could have a chance for a second tiny bit of revenge Sunday.”

Here’s a terrifying quote from Stanley Cup of Chowder about the match: Alexander Barkov was crushed by living-Playstation 2-rendered-character Colby Cave in their last meeting not too long ago and has not returned to the lineup for the Cats, and the last game against them was a loss that felt like a team not only possessed to try and make the playoffs, but also began to take on an edge of vengeance.”

And a rejoinder: “The Panthers will again be without their best player, Aleksander Barkov, out for the weekend games with an upper-body injury suffered when checked by Boston’s Colby Cave, who has since been returned to the minors.”

Opposite Luongo will be Tuukka Rask (.919 SV%.).

So, who do think wins?

Who wins tonight?

Boston Bruins Lines:

Forwards:

Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak

Jake DeBrusk - David Krejci - David Backes

Danton Heinen - Ryan Donato - Brian Gionta

Tim Schaller - Noel Acciari - Tommy Wingels

Defense:

Zdeno Chara - Charlie McAvoy

Torey Krug - Kevan Miller

Matt Grzelcyk - Adam McQuaid

Goalies:

Tuukka Rask

Anton Khudobin

Florida Panthers

Forwards:

Evgeny Dadonov - Vincent Trocheck - Colton Sceviour

Jonathan Huberdeau - Jared McCann - Nick Bjugstad

Frank Vatrano - Denis Malgin - Jamie McGinn

Michael Haley - Derek MacKenzie - Maxim Mamin

Defense:

Keith Yandle - Aaron Eckblad

Michael Matheson - Mark Psysyk

Mackenzie Weegar - Alex Petrovic

Goalies:

Roberto Luongo

James Reimer