A collection of players coming off injuries gave the Bruins mixed returns in their first-round victory over the Maple Leafs. They’ll need those players, plus others who made marginal contributions in the first round, to compete with the explosive Lightning in Round 2.

Mike Loftus The Patriot Ledger

 BOSTON -- It’s the second round for everyone. For some, it’s a second chance.

While often forcing themselves into it, the Bruins displayed enough resilience, determination and endurance to outlast the Maple Leafs in a seven-game, first-round series and reach Round 2 for the first time since 2014. As is supposed to be the case, the second-round opponent -- in this case, the Eastern Conference regular-season champion Lightning -- will present more of a challenge.

By failing to put the Leafs away relatively quickly after taking a 3-1 lead in the series, the B’s put themselves at a disadvantage in terms of rest and preparation for the next best-of-7: Players had Thursday off, flew to and practiced in Tampa on Friday, and open the series at Amalie Arena at 3 p.m. on Saturday (NBC/Ch. 10, WBZ-FM/98.5). The Lightning haven’t played since last Saturday when they finished their series against the Devils in Game 5.

As hard and long as the Bruins had to work to eliminate the Leafs, a number of them weren’t as worn down entering the postseason as many teammates. Some performed well in Round 1, but those who weren’t at their peak now get another chance to contribute more.

“As the year goes along, it goes like this,” B’s general manager Don Sweeney said on Thursday, raising his hand to demonstrate increasing intensity.

“Then, in the playoffs, it takes another notch. Even between Games 1, 2, 3, 4 -- as you go along, they seem to have a greater intensity. It’s hard to imagine, but … it’s real.”

That reality makes it a difficult time to return from injury, and a number of Bruins fit that description in Round 1. While No. 1 center Patrice Bergeron got into the final nine regular-season games after missing 13 with a foot fracture, captain Zdeno Chara played only five (over eight days) after losing nine to an upper body injury that kept him out through March 31. Chara’s defense partner, rookie Charlie McAvoy, returned one game later, after missing 15 games with a sprained knee ligament. Forwards Rick Nash (concussion, 12 games) and Riley Nash (ear, head) were sidelined through the end of the regular season; the latter also missed Games 1-2 against the Leafs.

Returning players provided mixed returns in Round 1.

Chara, although 41, was the Bruins’ most-used player (23 minutes, 27 seconds ice time per game), tied for the team plus-minus lead with rookie Sean Kuraly at plus-5, and even contributed three points. Bergeron, despite a mid-series slump and an upper body injury that kept him out of Game 4, went 1-7--8 and plus-4 over six games.

McAvoy (23:09 per game, plus-3, one assist) admitted having trouble finding his legs and his game, especially at the start of the series, but a 26-minute, 43-second effort in Game 7 (plus-1) indicates he’s probably up to speed. Rick Nash, however, played a fifth straight goal-less game and finished the series with only two points, and Riley Nash didn’t contribute a point until Game 7.

“You hope you can jump right back in,” Sweeney said, “but Rick didn’t play any games leading up to the playoffs, and he jumped right back in … against a real quality opponent -- a fast opponent. Riley would probably be the first to tell you, maybe his timing and such is off.”

The situation isn’t exclusive to players coming off injury.

The Bruins hope they’ll get more in Round 2 from veteran David Backes, whose offensive contributions were primarily limited to the power play (two goals), and most of all, from goalie Tuukka Rask. His 2.94 goals-against average ranked 11th among the 20 qualifying goalies in the first round; his .899 saves percentage sat 13th. Rask’s career playoff numbers are 2.20 and .926 over 60 games (34-26 record).

“At the end of the day, we have a lot of confidence in Tuukka,” Sweeney said, “and I think … we’ll retain the same level of confidence that we can get the job done, and he’ll be there for us.”

The more players the B’s have at the tops of their games, though, the less reliant they may need to be on their goalie stealing a series against the team that led the NHL with 290 goals.

“We all hope they’re operating at full capacity from here on out,” Sweeney said, “because we need everybody to win.”