The second-round NHL playoff series between two Original Six clubs in the Montreal Canadiens and the Boston Bruins can only be classified as a series made up of good old fashioned barn burners. So far this series, these two hockey teams have exemplified the sheer hatred that they have built up for each other over their longstanding histories, and there’s no reason to believe that this negative attitude towards each other will change anytime soon. These two clubs are great at both ends of the ice and not much skill separates one team from the other. With two games now in the books, here are five keys to look out for in this Original Six playoff matchup.

5. Home-Ice Advantage for Montreal

Neither the TD Bank Garden in Boston or the Bell Centre in Montreal are easy places for opposing teams to play in. Both sets of fans are loud, proud and borderline obnoxious.  The Habs managed to scratch out an overtime victory on the road in game one which gives them a distinct advantage as they make their way back to La Belle Province to host the Bruins in games three and four. If Montreal wants to win this series, they are going to have to win at home and ride the vibe that their passionate pans are going to throw their way. The Habs most certainly can’t rely on going back to Boston and winning another game in the Bruins’ barn. It just won’t happen.

4. One-Ice Discipline

So far this series the Montreal powerplay has done a relatively good job of taking advantage of Boston’s undisciplined play. The Habs have gone 3 for 13 on the powerplay, whereas the Bruins have struggled with the man-advantage going 0 for 9 thus far in the series. The Bruins play a physical style of hockey that can sometimes get the best of them, and Montreal’s powerplay lead by P.K. Subban can be nothing short of deadly.  If Boston wants to stay afloat in the series, they are going to have to try and hit the Canadiens without drawing a massive amount of penalties. If the Canadiens want to continue to push a better Bruins team to their limit, they will have to continue to capitalize on the opportunities that are given to them when Boston takes a dumb penalty.

3. The Play Of P.K. Subban

Subban is perhaps the most underrated defenseman in the NHL. Not only does he have an unreal amount of skill, he also possesses a high hockey IQ that allows him to get into the heads of any opponent he finds himself up against. Subban has four points in two games so far in the series. He has contributed in both even-strength situations and with the man-advantage. Boston will have to figure out a way to tame the solid play of the crafty defenseman, or Subban will continue to have his way with a Bruins team that continues to be visibly frustrated with him. Subban will only get better as the series goes on, so Boston needs to figure out a solution to the problem that is Subban very quickly.

2.  Smart Physical Play From Both Teams

It’s no surprise that Boston is the more physical team in the series. They live and die with their physicality and the intimidation factor that they use on a nightly basis. However, they can be very undisciplined. Rather than trying to step up to the monster in Zdeno Chara and the meathead-esque Milan Lucic, the Canadiens should do their best to frustrate the Bruins to the point where they start to take stupid penalties, just like they did in game one of the series. Boston on the other hand, needs to pick their battles. They should continue to play a physical brand of hockey but if they start to get frustrated with the likes of Subban, they desperately need to hold back with the retaliation. Montreal will burn them on the powerplay and Boston’s hopes for a second straight trip to the Eastern Conference finals will be short of becoming a reality. Discipline will be a key factor down the stretch of this series.

1. Goaltending

This series is showcasing perhaps the two best goaltenders in the entire NHL. Carey Price has faced a total of 86 shots so far in this series, and if it wasn’t for him, the Habs would most definitely be down 2-0 in the series heading back to Montreal for games three and four. Tuukka Rask on the other hand has faced a much lighter load than Price has had to manage. Although it is still an impressive number of shots taken by Montreal, the 61 pucks that have been thrown Rask’s way haven’t been nearly as tough to handle as those taken by the Bruins on Price. If the Bruins want to put up another five or so goals on Price, they will have to continue to pour on 40+ shots a game, as Price will get back into his comfort zone when he hits home-ice. Expect Rask to settle in as the series goes on as well. He is the type of goaltender that will get better as the series drags on whether he is playing at home or on the road. This series could very well come down to being a battle of the game’s best between the pipes.