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   VS. 

1. BOSTON BRUINS VS. 8. MONTREAL CANADIENS

JOSH BREWSTER

The Bruins dominated the series between the clubs, 5-0-1 (3-0 at home).

CORE MATCHUP: Bruins defense effectively shuts down Montreal’s top six. Zdeno Chara (19-31-50; +23), heading to his likely 1st Norris Trophy, leads a Bruin club that allowed fewer goals (196) than any club in the league. While Tim Thomas deserves props for a Vezina-caliber season, the intimidation factor that Chara brings to the table is something that his former club, the Senators, is finding incredibly hard to replace.

He and his co-horts, Aaron Ward, Dennis Wideman (13G, +32), Mark Stuart and Steve Montador, lead a Bruin defense against a Montreal club that enters the playoffs missing its best defenseman, Andrei Markov. While the Canadiens had four players with 20 or more goals, the Bruins have six, plus Phil Kessel, who potted 36 markers. The Canadiens’ top scorer, Alex Kovalev, managed just 65 points, and earlier in the season was suspended by the club for three games in hopes of waking up the all-star forward.

The Bruins are also tough, and can deal with the intimidation battle, featuring Shawn Thornton and Milan Lucic, who scored 17 goals and can play a shutdown role.

The Bruins are just the type of dominating club that should cruise right through the first round.

POTENTIAL SERIES TURNER: Michael Ryder, Boston. Ryder signed for $4M per last summer, and the critics howled after a poor 2007-08 season in Montreal. He scores gritty goals, though, and loves to take charge in the slot. Perfect for playoffs.

Pick: Bruins in 5.

LEON RAFNER

Are the Bruins for real? Can Tim Thomas deliver under pressure? What’s worse than giving up Joe Thornton, obviously, is giving up the best and biggest D man in the Hockeyverse, Zdeno Chara. In a town that loves their D men, The Captain performs like a stretched out Ray Bourque, scoring goals, while covering both sides of the ice: imagine Bobby Orr shaking hands with Brad Park. Les Habs have the pressure, the weight of Canadian hope on their backs where every move will be analyzed, replayed, and critiqued all summer. Talk about pressure impacting a series; Alex Tanguay, and Robert Lange out, Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev will have to produce big time. Goaltender Cary Price, who at times appeared not to be the All-Star he was voted, will have enormous pressure to preform, while late starter, 30 year old Bruin Tim Thomas will merely have to do his job behind a strong D and strong power play. Coach Bob Gainey will need to use all of his experience to motivate this team to be exceptional against the very deep Bruin team with Stephane Yelle, Mark Recchi, Phil Kessel, Marco Sturm, and a Super D that can really do damage up front. Easy run, Bruins in 5.

DENNIS BERNSTEIN

All that hype over the 100 year celebration of the Habs franchise ends with a whimper. Montreal was fortunate just to make the post season and they’ll prove it against the deepest team in the East. The Canadiens couldn’t beat Boston with talent, so they tried to rough them up in the season’s final match and failed at that too. Don’t worry Habs fans, they’re always year 101 but this year’s Montreal model will be lucky to get a game in this series.  Boston in 5.

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