2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Eastern Conference Semifinals Picks: Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers Odds and Predictions

2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Eastern Conference Semifinals Picks: Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers Odds and Predictions: Heading into their Eastern Conference semifinal series, both the sixth-seeded New York Rangers and fourth-seeded Boston Bruins are lucky to still be alive in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While both sides just squeaked by in the opening round, they did so in very different fashions. Boston used its powerful offense to overcome shaky goaltending while New York’s goaltending made up for an ineffective offense. Both teams will need to continue to improve this round if they want to advance on the conference finals.

Down 3-2 in their opening-round series against Washington, the Rangers and their stagnant offense seemed dead in the water. However, goalie Henrik Lundqvist had other ideas, posting back-to-back shutouts to push New York into the semifinals. Of course, Lundqvist has been the backbone of the team for years, and he continues to be one of the best goaltenders in the game. The offense was a different story in the first round, and outside of Derick Brassard, everyone underperformed. Stars Rick Nash and Brad Richards were particularly ineffective against the Capitals, managing a combined three points. Unless the Rangers can turn things around on the offensive end, it will be up to Lundqvist to save the day.

There certainly wasn’t a lack of excitement for the Bruins in the first round as they turned a near disastrous collapse into an epic Game 7 win against Toronto. Boston gave away a 3-1 series lead and trailed 4-1 in the third period of Game 7. However, a late rally that included a pair of goals in the final two minutes forced overtime, and the Bruins advanced with a 5-4 win. Against the Maple Leafs, David Krejci was the star of an offense that averaged more than three goals per game, tallying 13 points. Overall, five players scored multiple goals in the series and four players averaged at least a point per game. However, goalie Tuukka Rask struggled in his first taste of playoff action, allowing 2.49 goals per game against Toronto after allowing just 2.00 per game in the regular season. If Rask continues to have issues, Krejci and company can’t afford to slow down their torrid scoring pace.

The Rangers Win If:

If New York is going to win this series, the Rangers will have to employ the same strategy that got them to the semifinals. New York took Washington’s scoring machine Alexander Ovechkin completely out of the series, and if the Rangers do the same to Krejci, they could disrupt Boston’s high-powered offense. Meanwhile, Lundqvist will have to continue to be brilliant between the pipes. On the offensive end, Nash and Richards have to get something going in order to make life easier on the supporting cast. Granted, the Rangers haven’t been an offensive juggernaut all year, but if they can at least put a little pressure on the suddenly shaky Rask, Lundqvist is more than capable of doing the rest. If New York makes sure this series is decided by which goalie can make the most plays, the Rangers should have the edge.

The Bruins Win If:

During the regular season, Boston was one of the more balanced teams on both ends of the ice, but they are particularly deep on offense. Obviously, it would be nice if Rask bounced back from his shaky first-round performance, but Lundqvist is still the more proven, experienced goalie no matter how Rask is playing so a series filled with close, low-scoring games isn’t ideal for Boston. If the Bruins are going to get past Lundqvist and the Rangers, they will need to keep the pressure on New York’s defense. If Boston is able to keep the puck in the Rangers’ zone consistently, clog the area in front of the crease and get quality shots, the Bruins are going to be able to light the lamp a few times and force New York’s struggling offense to try to keep up. If the Bruins can dictate the pace of the games with their offense and make New York’s scorers beat them rather than Lundqvist, their edge in offensive firepower should be too much for the Rangers to handle.

Check out the latest NHL hockey playoff odds for the NHL Playoffs.

Bottom Line:

It takes a great team to win a championship in any sport, but in hockey, there is just no substitute for a hot goaltender. It is kind of like a baseball team that has an unhittable starting pitcher, only the pitcher gets to start every game of the series. In Lundqvist, New York has a goalie that is capable of putting a team on his back, and he showed it in the opening round with back-to-back shutouts when the Rangers were facing elimination. Meanwhile, Rask looked as vulnerable as he has all season in his first taste of playoff action as a starter. Granted, the Boston netminder could settle down, and the Bruins do have a much more balanced, explosive offense. That being said, Lundqvist could be the ultimate equalizer in this series, and while the Bruins will have their moments, Lundqvist will outplay Rask by a wide enough margin to keep the Rangers alive.

Prediction: New York Rangers Win in 7 Games

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