Boston Bruins Playoff Series Starting Marathon Monday

While the Boston Bruins still don’t know who their first-round opponent is going to be between the Florida Panthers and the New York Islanders, they at least do know when their first-round playoff series is going to begin.

With the Boston Celtics playing Game 2 of their playoff series at TD Garden on Tuesday night, that leaves the Bruins to kick off their first-round playoff series on Monday, April 17, the very first night of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

I'd guess it's a pretty good bet the Bruins Game 1 will be on Monday night if the Celtics are hosting Game 2 at TD Garden on Tuesday night https://t.co/wOvI3yT6NF

— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) April 12, 2023

It’s going to be a “wicked” busy day in the city of Boston as it’s Marathon Monday with the Monday morning Patriot’s Day game at Fenway Park with Shohei Ohtani and the Angels coming to town, and now there will be playoff hockey for the Black and Gold group favored to win the Stanley Cup on a Monday holiday in the city of Boston. In fact, Ohtani is scheduled to be pitching that day for the Angels at Fenway Park.

Needless to say, Brad Marchand the Boston Bruins are pumped for the whole thing after hearing “We Want the Cup!” cascading through the TD Garden stands during their record win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.

“It’s exciting. You can tell the excitement that the city has right now,” said Marchand. “The energy around the Garden is incredible and the energy around the city is incredible right now. It’s the best time of year.”

The Bruins also know that second line center David Krejci will be ready to go for Game 1 after a couple of encouraging days rehabbing from a lower body injury that had him shut down for the final handful of regular season games.

What will be interesting is what’s going to happen after that first scheduled game on Monday night, as the Celtics will also be hosting Game 5 at TD Garden on Tuesday, April 25, which would have been the regularly scheduled Game 5 for the Boston Bruins first round series as well. That means there will likely be an extra day off between two of the early games in the first round series between the B’s and their first-round opponent whether it’s New York or Florida.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were a third option as a wild card opponent for the Boston Bruins until they lost a must-win on Wednesday night and will instead miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons since Sidney Crosby has been around to help lift up the franchise.