THREE KEYS: Bruins @ Sabres Game 1 Preview

BUFFALO, NY - The Boston Bruins (0-0) kick off their playoff journey inside the KeyBank Center, taking on the Atlantic Division Champions, the Buffalo Sabres (0-0).

Tonight will be everything people dream of for playoff hockey. Intensity, passion, physicality, insane crowd. Nothing beats playoff hockey, and tonight should be a showcase of that.

Sabres fans have waited 15 long years for this moment. The streets are overflowing in Western, New York.

There are three keys for Boston's success tonight in Buffalo, three things they must get right to win this game.

Key #1: Weather the Storm:

The biggest and most important thing about tonight is that the Sabres will be coming out with their hair on fire.

All the emotion that's going to be surging through the building, all the pent-up frustration, it's going to explode onto the ice.

Boston will need to be ready to defend early and often, and utilize their effectively quick breakouts to counterattack and generate offense of their own.

After what Boston Head Coach Marco Sturm said about Buffalo's physicality the other day, you can expect a wave of Buffalo physicality early.

The first five to 10 minutes could very easily decide tonight's game. If Buffalo pops a couple of early goals, it could very quickly become a long night for the Bruins.

Key #2: Discipline & Special Teams

The next key will be for Boston to control their own emotions, and avoid taking penalties.

Too often this year, Boston's hurt itself with self-inflicted wounds and lost the special teams battle, leading to losses.

Buffalo's going to come out hard, Boston will need to match that, but in a measured way.

With the inevitability of penalties, special teams become another massive piece of the story.

Buffalo scored the second-most shorthanded goals of any team this season. Their kill is known for the extreme speed and heavy pressure.

Boston's power play has struggled mightily since the end of the Olympics. They need to find a way to win these battles, or at least avoid any shorthanded goals allowed.

Key #3: Goaltending

Jeremy Swayman needs to be a superstar tonight and in this series. Swayman's been the backbone to Boston's season this year, and these playoffs will be no different.