By: Chris Nosek

It really is great to see the Buffalo Sabres back in the playoffs. The fans, many of whom are in the organization, and the players all deserve it. It is certain a rough matchup for them that their first playoff series in over a decade is against the Bruins, a team that has dominated them over that timeframe. The online discourse is showing just how close this series could be since the Sabres turned into the league’s hottest team in December.

While the Sabres have the edge in high-end talent, the Bruins have the edge in playoff experience. The Sabers need to find out which of their top players can step up their game in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Bruins have already seen guys like David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman do so. Does Boston have enough skill to score enough to keep up with the Sabres? Don Sweeney built this team in the eyes of the Florida Panthers. Nikita Zadorov, Mark Kastelic, Sean Kuraly, and Tanner Jeannot are all well-prepared to throw their bodies around in an effort to wear their opponents down.

While the Sabres have been able to match the physicality in a single game here and there throughout the season, their ability to sustain it over a seven-game series has yet to be established. They have several big players, but Owen Power doesn’t play to his size, while Logan Stanley averages less than 15 minutes of ice time per game. Will Stanley be on the ice enough to make a difference? The Bruins will see just how much of a difference-maker guys like Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten can be, but all season they’ve proven their abilities. The Bruins also have Jeremy Swayman in goal, who is capable of playing at a Conn Smythe level. Despite being the higher-seeded team, I’m not sure the Sabers have the advantage they and their fans would like to think they do.

The bubble of excitement will burst for the Sabers and their fans at some point. Whether that happens in the first period or later in game one, the level of excitement they start with will come down. All Boston needs to do is take one game in Buffalo, then they can win the series by taking care of business at home – something they did well all season. I expect the Bruins to remain more level-headed over the course of the series, regardless of Buffalo taking a win or two.

Prediction: Boston advances in 6 games