Bruins vs. Panthers predictions, odds, TV schedule for 1st round of 2023 NHL playoffs

The 2023 Presidents' Trophy winner meets the 2022 Presidents' Trophy winner in the first round of the 2023 NHL playoffs as the Bruins face off against the Panthers. 

It was a magical regular season in Boston: the club set NHL records for wins (65) and points (135) in a season. Linus Ullmark likely will win the Vezina Trophy, Jim Montgomery likely will be win Coach of the Year, and David Pastrnak joined Phil Esposito as the only Bruins to reach 60 goals in a season. 

The Bruins have made it to seven consecutive postseasons but have yet to get beyond the second round since losing in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final to the Blues. With high expectations heading into the playoffs, it's Stanley Cup or bust for this Boston team. 

Of course, the playoffs are a completely different beast than the regular season, and looking to play spoiler is a high-flying Panthers team that came alive in the last month to secure its fourth consecutive postseason berth. 

Florida took a major step back from its record season last year, but Matthew Tkachuk almost single-handedly dragged the Panthers to the postseason with his 100-point campaign. This team knows all too well the pressure that's on a Presidents' Trophy winner in the playoffs; Florida lost in the second round to the Lightning last year. 

NHL PLAYOFF PICTURE: Updated standings, bracket, matchups & key dates

Here's what you need to know about the series between the Bruins and the Panthers. 

Key storyline: Can the Bruins avoid the fate the 2019 Lightning suffered?

The 2019 Lightning were this year's Bruins. Tampa Bay tied the 1995-96 Red Wings for most wins in a season with 62, a record Boston broke this season. It looked as if no one could touch the Lightning. They were the favorites to come out of the East. 

Then, the collapse in the playoffs happened. Against a gritty Blue Jackets team coached by John Tortorella, the Lightning not only lost in the first round, they also were swept in four games. Tampa Bay blew a 3-0 lead in Game 1 and never recovered, leading to the stunning upset. 

The 2022-23 Bruins have drawn parallels to that Lightning team with their regular-season excellence. That also means fans are waiting for Boston to suffer the same fate as Tampa Bay did four years ago. 

But this Bruins club has much more depth than that Tampa Bay club. It also has a core group that is older and has more playoff experience.

That said, only two teams beat the Bruins more than once this season: the Senators and the Panthers. If anyone knows how to beat Boston, it's Florida. 

Bruins vs. Panthers playoff schedule, TV channels

Bruins vs. Panthers odds

According to Sports Interaction, the Bruins are a heavy favorite to beat the Panthers in their first-round series. 

Bruins: -333

Panthers: +283

Odds provided by Sports Interaction

In the U.S., Bet 365 also has the Bruins as the betting favorite to win the first-round series over the Panthers. 

Bruins: -323

Panthers: +280

Odds provided by Bet 365

Bruins vs. Panthers prediction

Of all the potential wild-card teams the Bruins could have faced, the Panthers are one of the most favorable.

While Florida's offense can give its opposition fits, its defense and goaltending are major issues. Of the 16 teams playing in the postseason, none gave up as many goals in the regular season as the Panthers did; Florida allowed 3.28 per game. 

Boston's defense is strong, but its offense also ranks second in the league with 3.64 goals per game. The only way the Panthers can win this series is if they get into high-scoring games with the Bruins, which is not a sustainable strategy in a best-of-seven. 

Prediction: Bruins in six.