Boston brings the higher power-index rank; Carolina brings a striking edge in shot volume.
Carolina brings a 9-2-2 record and 20 points into Lenovo Center, where the 9-2-1 Bruins arrive with 19 points and the No. 1 spot in DYMA’s power index; the Hurricanes rank No. 2. Boston has won four of its last five, while Carolina is 3-2 over that span, and the Bruins hold a +22 goal differential to Carolina’s +18. The central matchup pits Boston’s David Pastrnak, with 16 points in 12 games, against Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, who has 18 in 13; Carolina’s +11.5 shots-per-game differential meets Boston’s -1.7 mark. The hinge is whether Boston can disrupt Carolina’s shot volume while sustaining its stronger recent-five margin, 2.4 to the Hurricanes’ 1.2.