This story originally ran in BruinsZone.com on May 13, 2011.

By Nick Tavares

While the NHL has saddled Eastern Conference fans with an eight-week wait between rounds, at least it gives us a bit of time to check out the opposition. So let’s take a look at a fast, strong skating team that has whirled their way past the Crosby-less Penguins and the Washington Captials to advance to their first Eastern Conference finals since their Cup-winning 2004.

The Bruins took the season series 3-1 against Tampa, including an 8-2 drubbing in the Garden, but the team has changed their look a bit since then, including adding a certain ageless wonder in goal.

Forwards

If you’re looking for dynamic and exciting, you won’t find many better than the triumvirate of Martin St. Louis, Vincent Levacalier and Steven Stamkos. Stamkos has been relatively quiet through these playoffs, with only four goals and two assists. Only, of course, a relative term, since St. Louis, Lecavalier and Steve Downie have played so well through two rounds.

St. Louis has a reputation of stepping up in big moments, and his 6-7-13 line has only built up that reputation. Lecavalier has been nearly as productive at 5-7-12, and his goals have come in huge moments — his overtime goal in Game 2 put Washington on the road down 0-2, on their way to more playoff disappointment.

But as important as their theatrics in the offensive zone, they play tight through the middle. Most of their forwards are skilled enough to create chances with the puck in the neutral zone, but all of them play a tough forecheck, notably their third line of Downie, Domnic Moore and Steve Bergenheim. Downie, Bruins fans will remember, got into a few scraps with the team last season, though his biggest foe, Miroslav Satan, has moved on. That line propels a group that will play tough in the middle and in the corners, and do their best to make life hell for Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Nathan Horton.

Defense and goal

Tampa’s defense has been solid if not flashy, with Eric Brewer and Victor Hedman leading a group of younger guys and reclamation projects. Marc-Andre Bergeron, plucked off the scrap heap, has found himself with some playing time, while Mike Lundin leads the blue-liners with a plus-3 through the postseason.

But, really, this is the story of one man, goaltender Dwayne Roloson, who has been every bit as impressive as Boston’s resident old man, Mark Recchi. Toiling away for the New York Islanders, the 41-year-old Roloson was quietly having another solid season when Tampa plucked him off the island to settle their own issues in net, where Mike Smith and Dan Ellis had left the team wanting more.

Roloson anchored himself in net, and the Lightning never looked back. Through the playoffs, Roloson has been huge, posting a goals against average of 2.01 and a save percentage of .941. To put that in perspective for Bruins fans, he’s been Thomas-esque. Boston has classically been a goal-challenged team, so to get through Roloson, they’ll first have to distract and disrupt a defensive group that’s scrappy at best and patchwork at worst.