Game 7.

Sure, lots of fun if you don’t really care about the teams involved. For those lucky or unlucky enough to be involved in, however, ‘agonizing’ doesn’t even begin to describe it. It’s a two and a half hour teetering between heaven and hell. Fans of the Boston Bruins have experienced both at a rate unlike anybody else in NHL history.

For the Bruins, Sunday’s Game 7 will be the 30th in the franchise’s nearly 100-year century. That’s an NHL record. It’s also a staggering four-Game 7 edge on the next-closest team (the Maple Leafs, with 26). The Bruins have experienced Game 7 heaven on 15 times in their franchise history, and have gone to hell 14 times.

Where the Bruins are going by 9:00 p.m. on Sunday night all depends on who you talk to and their level of optimism or pessimism with the hometown club. There’s argument to be made for both feelings.

Here’s seven thoughts on what awaits the Bruins at TD Garden on Sunday night. (Nervous pregame pacing not included…)

• Attempting to read the tea leaves in the Boston crease…

  

  Apr 8, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) reacts with goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) after defeating the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

• Game 7 really begins with one hell of a question in net for the Bruins: Will the Bruins stick with the struggling Linus Ullmark or make the move to Jeremy Swayman? Now, there may very well might not be a ‘right’ answer. There’s also an undeniable element of damned if you do and damned if you don’t if you’re Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. To be clear, this is a self-made mess by the Bruins, who had multiple chances to turn to Swayman at various points in this series, including Friday’s Game 6 when it seemed painfully obvious that Ullmark did not have his top-shelf stuff like he had in Games 3 and 4.

  Speaking on Saturday, Montgomery didn’t openly tip his hand one way or another, but this time of year, language matters. Montgomery that if they turned away from Ullmark, it would be because he didn’t make enough saves. Montgomery also lauded the confidence of Swayman. He said he’s the most confident person he knows, and compared giving him a Game 7 start to giving the ball to Roger Clemens in Game 7 or giving the ball to Tom Brady with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. This isn’t the first time that Montgomery’s gassed Swayman up, but that praise typically means something this time of year.

  In fact, multiple sources have indicated to 98.5 The Sports Hub that the expectation is that it will be Swayman in net for Sunday’s Game 7. Of course, that’s subject to change and the official word won’t come until Sunday’s morning skate at the very earliest. (And even then, I would almost expect a little bit of gamesmanship from the Bruins as to not give the Florida video team an easy day of planning.) But the feeling around the situation is that a goalie change is coming.

  If the Bruins turn to Swayman, it will be Swayman’s first start since the regular-season finale back on Apr. 13. Swayman got into action for three minutes and change of garbage-time play in Boston’s Game 4 win down in Florida, but this would be the longest wait between starts of his professional career, and by a wide margin.

  But this is where the Bruins would hope that their publicly-stated confidence in Swayman comes to the table.

  The Bruins could also use turning to Swayman as a rallying cry of sorts. While both goaltenders were humming in the second half of the regular season, it’s worth noting that Swayman faced fewer high-danger shots per 60 and had a stronger high-danger save percentage. In essence, the Bruins played a stronger brand of defense with Swayman in net. Ullmark has faced a league-high 60 high-danger shots through six starts this postseason, according to NaturalStatTrick. Perhaps going to Swayman is what the Bruins defense needs to realize they can’t just treat the puck like it’s a Christmas gift purchased for the Panthers.

  But when it comes to Ullmark vs. Swayman — and honestly, it truly might not matter if the B’s defense brings their Games 2, 5, and 6 thought process to the rink — there may very well be a case of the Bruins thinking ‘cold’ (Swayman) is better than ‘off’ (Ullmark) and finding the former more fixable than the latter when it comes to one 60-minute effort.

• The Bruins should ride with Trent Frederic

  

  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 14: Trent Frederic #11 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden on January 14, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• No matter the call the Bruins make in net, Game 7 should come with Trent Frederic thrown back into the lineup.

  Scratched for the last two games, Montgomery has called the decision to sit Frederic a “gut feeling.” Jakub Lauko didn’t exactly deliver in place of Frederic in Game 5, and though the Bruins traded Lauko for David Krejci in Game 6, Frederic’s continued scratching just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense when considering his season impact, as well as how his series was shaping up.

  In action for the first four games of this series, it felt like Frederic did everything but get on the scoresheet. In over 42 minutes of five-on-five play, Frederic ranked sixth on the team in individual expected goals (0.70), fifth in individual scoring chances for (seven), and his four individual high-danger scoring chances (four) ranked third on the team. The only thing Frederic lacked was a goal or an assist. But the numbers indicated that that was a matter of time more than anything else.

  There’s an element of going with what got you here, and Frederic had an extensive run skating with Charlie Coyle and Taylor Hall this season. In fact, the Bruins outshot opponents 106-86 and outscored ’em 11-5 in 189 minutes of Frederic with Coyle and Hall. Compare to the Coyle and Hall tandem getting outshot 86-82 and outscored 8-4 in 157 five-on-five minutes with Frederic riding to the right as the team’s right wing. Hell, even if you don’t think Frederic should skate with Coyle and Hall, he’s been a valuable presence on the Black and Gold’s fourth line when called upon this season.

  Frederic, who scored 17 goals during the regular season (and was one of just two NHL players to score at least 17 goals in 2022-23 while averaging less than 12 minutes of time on ice per game), deserves to make an impact when his team needs it most.

• Experience remains on B’s side, especially after Game 6 loss

  

  Oct 25, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (37) congratulates center David Krejci (46) after their 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars at TD Garden. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)

• If there’s one thing the Bruins can hang their hat on, it’s that this situation isn’t exactly foreign territory to ’em.

  Since 2008, the Bruins have found themselves in a home-ice Game 7 after losing what would’ve been a closeout Game 6 on six separate occasions. They’re 4-2 in those Game 7 contests, with their last brush with this coming back in 2018 against Toronto (a win). The Bruins held a 3-1 series lead in that series, too! The full tally of the four victories: 2011 against the Canadiens, 2011 against the Lightning, 2013 against the Maple Leafs, and 2018 against the Maple Leafs. The two losses came back in 2010 against the Flyers and 2014 against the Canadiens. You can find parallels to all of those series when it comes to this 2023 war with Florida.

  Ultimately, these stats mean very little when it comes to what will happen tomorrow night. The Panthers aren’t going to simply crap their pants because of what happened to the 2011 Canadiens when they came to Boston for a Game 7 over 12 years ago. But for guys like Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Krejci, there’s something to be said for being able to call back on that experience and not letting the moment and the undeniable sky-is-falling feeling consume them before the final horn.

• Here’s hoping Bruins won’t make same mistake with No. 48

  

  SUNRISE, FL – APRIL 21: Matt Grzelcyk #48 of the Boston Bruins and Colin White #6 of the Florida Panthers circle the net during first period action in Game 3 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the FLA Live Arena. (Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

• The Bruins’ Jim Montgomery has done a tremendous job of pushing the right buttons this season.

  It’s been almost perfect, to be honest.

  But one thing that failed to make much sense was the decision to scratch Matt Grzelcyk for Friday’s Game 6 in Florida. When the Bruins dropped Game 2 is brutal fashion, the Bruins acknowledged how much they missed Grzelcyk and his ability to help their breakout and transition game, and immediately threw him back in action, where the Bruins rattled off victories in back-to-back road showdowns in Sunrise. The return of Grzelcyk also allowed the Bruins to split Dmitry Orlov and Charlie McAvoy, and make it so they had a horse on all three defensive pairings.

  But without Grzelcyk in Game 6, the Bruins took an undeniable step backwards to what was a lesser defense (and with the pairings that failed ’em earlier in the series), and they paid for it dearly.

  Now, part of me has wondered just how healthy Grzelcyk is right now. The Bruins held him out of the harder portions of their first pre-playoff practice due to some soreness, and Grzelcyk began the postseason as a scratch. And when the Bruins did throw him into action for Games 3 and 4, his usage was certainly on the lower side. But the Bruins also had Grzelcyk hold court with the media prior to their departure for Florida. They don’t do that with injured players.

  So if he’s healthy, he should be in. This isn’t the time to overthink it.

  And Grzelcyk is a player who allows the Bruins to ice the most versatile defense possible, as he experience playing with every right-shooting option on the roster, and has played both sides throughout his career.

• Does Connor Clifton deserve a mulligan?

  

  Jan 28, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton (75) skates with the puck during the second period against the Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena. (Jason Mowry/USA TODAY Sports)

• While we’re on the defense, maybe I’m a crazy person, but I’m sticking with Connor Clifton for Game 7. I know, I know, I know. Clifton had a downright abysmal Game 7. He was whistled for a charging penalty that derailed any momentum from the Tyler Bertuzzi power-play goal, and finished the night with two giveaways that ended up in the back of Linus Ullmark’s net.

  But I truthfully can’t let one bad night undo an entire season of strong development and strong performances. When the Bruins went on their late-season heater with Derek Forbort shelved with an ankle injury, Clifton more held his own as his defensive-zone role remained just as amplified. The 5-foot-11 Clifton also had success with Dmitry Orlov to his left during the regular season, as the Bruins outscored opponents 3-0 and held an on-ice edge in shots, scoring chances, and high-danger scoring chances in over 77 minutes of five-on-five play with Orlov and Clifton together.

  This also seems to be a series that’s simply too fast for Forbort. It feels like the Panthers have increased their targeting of Forbort, especially when the Boston penalty-killing specialist is tasked with making puck plays. It’s resulted in Forbort being on the ice for a defense-high five goals over the last two Boston losses. Florida has also found some power play success over the last two games, with goals on three of their last six opportunities after beginning the series with a 1-for-11 mark on the man advantage through four games. The Matthew Tkachuk power-play goal in Game 6 was an especially brutal one for Boston. (And let’s not forget that the Bruins killed almost 40 straight penalties during Forbort’s late-season absence.)

  Forbort also allows the least amount of in-game flexibility for Jim Montgomery, who has been going blender mode throughout this series, and may have to do the same if the Bruins don’t come out of the gate flying. You simply can’t pair Forbort with Charlie McAvoy because that’s above Forbort’s level in terms of competition. You also can’t pair him with Brandon Carlo because that leaves you with a severely limited pairing in terms of mobility and playmaking. But Clifton? Clifton succeeded with Orlov, and played some of his best hockey this season when paired opposite Hampus Lindholm.

  If this is about icing your best and most complete roster, Clifton over Forbort may be the way to go.

• A legacy is on the line for the Bruins

  

  Oct 27, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (37) congratulates left wing Brad Marchand (63) after he scored against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at TD Garden. (Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports)

• This almost goes without saying, but my goodness, is there a ton riding on this game for the Bruins.

  This could very well be the last game of the careers of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. It’s tough to think like that, but is this really how this era of Bruins hockey wants to be defined? As a team that always found a way to let it slip out of their grasp?

  If you thought 2019 hurt, imagine the best regular season in league history getting derailed in the first round and by a wild card team. It would make 2019’s Game 7 against the Blues feel like a banner-raising worthy event.

  Brad Marchand was at the forefront of this when everybody tried to throw flowers at the Bruins in the regular season. He repeatedly said that it didn’t matter if the Bruins didn’t show up and get the job done in the postseason.

  You can look at that one of two ways: Either the pressure is going to be too much for the Bruins and they’re going to collapse under its weight. Or it’s going to lead to the best effort to date in this series and carry the Bruins to victory. The Bruins haven’t been shy about how this entire season is “for Bergeron,” and there’s absolutely no way it should possibly end like this.

• There’s reasons for the Bruins to feel confident

  

  Apr 26, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) reacts with left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (59) after scoring a goal during the second period in game five of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

• I’ve found that Game 7 confidence — if such a thing even exists — is a bit like Loki’s thoughts on killing people and taking over the world. It varies moment to moment. And I can’t lie, I’ve uncomfortably bounced from confident with what I think should happen in this contest to absolutely clueless at least 200 times since the Bruins lost Game 6.

  But if there’s something that should make you feel confident about the Bruins entering this Game 7, it’s that there’s been a theme with their losses. When the Bruins have lost, they’ve quite literally handed the Panthers multiple goals and spent a little too much time chasing the scoreboard. If the Bruins clean that up even a little bit, they’re in control. I also think we can’t sleep on the fact that even though the Bruins played this poorly over their last two games, they’ve had a chance all the way until the final horn. Game 5 went to overtime and Game 6 was a one-goal game until the empty-net dagger. Aside from Game 2, the Panthers haven’t exactly done their part to truly put the Bruins down and out for the count. With a goaltender like Sergei Bobrovsky (the 2023 version of Bob is a lot leakier than the 2019 one the Bruins conquered) in net, that’s a huge factor.

  It simply feels like the Panthers’ best has to directly coincide with the Bruins’ worst.

  Conversely, when the Bruins have won, they have been aggressors and not only scored, but almost always added to their lead. They’ve forced the Panthers to get uncomfortable. The Bruins have been a notoriously strong ‘leader’ on home ice, too, with over 1,220 minutes of playing with a lead over the course of their 41 home games during the regular season. Only the Hurricanes at PNC Arena played with a lead for a greater stretch of time than the Bruins in 2022-23.

  There’s something about that home ice that should give the Bruins plenty of confidence, especially should they beat Bobrovsky and the Panthers for the first goal of the evening.

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