BOSTON – The number is reduced almost nightly, but the fact that there is a number means playoff spots remain unclaimed as the NHL approaches the final full week of the regular season. Entering Friday night, four of eight spots were still open in the Eastern Conference, and only three of eight were spoken for in the West.
Somewhere between teams who have clinched, like the Bruins, and those whose hope was lost weeks or months ago, there’s a small, [...]
BOSTON – The number is reduced almost nightly, but the fact that there is a number means playoff spots remain unclaimed as the NHL approaches the final full week of the regular season. Entering Friday night, four of eight spots were still open in the Eastern Conference, and only three of eight were spoken for in the West.
Somewhere between teams who have clinched, like the Bruins, and those whose hope was lost weeks or months ago, there’s a small, desperate collection of desperate clubs fighting to qualify. The B’s have played against many of them recently – and it might have helped them climb into first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference through Thursday night’s 4-2 victory over season-long leader Tampa Bay.
“Going into games, we know we’re going to have to bring our best,” rookie defenseman Matt Grzelcyk said. “Pretty much every team we’re playing is either pushing to get in the playoffs, or trying to get into a better spot. I think it’s good for us.”
Of the Bruins’ last nine games, seven have been played against teams either battling to qualify, or to hold onto unclinched post-season positions. The other two opponents (Winnipeg and Tampa) had clinched berths, but were striving for first-place finishes.
Despite a frequently depleted lineup, the Bruins are 5-1-3 over that stretch. The only team that has beaten them in regulation – the Panthers – is at TD Garden on Saturday (1:05 p.m., NESN, WBZ-FM 98.5), and the B’s also visit them next Thursday and host them for both teams’ regular-season finales a week from Sunday, April 8.
“They’re feeling good about their game,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said of the Panthers, who dealt his team its last loss in regulation, 3-0, on March 15. “They also know they’re a little bit behind New Jersey, so they don’t have a lot of room for error.
“Those are dangerous teams, but for us, it’s a good challenge.”
The Panthers have gone 10-4-2 this month and 20-7-2 in their last 29 to stay in the race for an Eastern Conference Wild Card berth. They trail the Devils, who hold the last of those two slots, by three points, and have one game in hand.
The Bruins’ schedule will be dominated by such situations over their final six games.
They begin a three-game road trip on Sunday (12:30 p.m., Ch. 10, WBZ-FM 98.5), against the Flyers, who are relatively safe in the Wild Card race, but could still move as high as second place in the Metropolitan Division, and start the playoffs with home ice. After that, the B’s visit the Lightning, which won’t surrender give up its first-place titles without a fight, and the Panthers. The lone remaining game against a non-qualifier is next Saturday’s visit from the Senators, followed a night later by a makeup game against the Panthers that was snowed out on Jan. 4.
Cassidy doesn’t mind the grind.
“That trip out West (2-0-2 against Central Division contenders from March 21-27) did wonders for us,” the coach said. “It was a challenge.
“If we’d have come back 0-4, I would have been begging for some teams that were out, but they forced us to play a certain way. They were all hungry teams.”
Claiming points in eight of the last nine games, despite a significant injury list, has also given Cassidy some valuable pre-playoff insight.
“I think it’s a good challenge for our group, especially with certain guys out,” Cassidy said. “You get a look at guys under duress. Now, if they can’t handle it, obviously that would be a problem … but they’ve shown they’re up for the challenge.”
AROUND THE BOARDS: Cassidy said he expects rookie winger Jake DeBrusk, who has missed the last eight games with an upper body injury, to return on Saturday against the Panthers … The No. 1 defense pair of captain Zdeno Chara (upper body, eight games) and rookie Charlie McAvoy (sprained MCL; 13 games) went through Friday’s full practice and will be with the team on its road trip. “I don’t know if they’ll play Sunday,” Cassidy said, but “I would anticipate we’ll see them within the next little bit.” … Center Sean Kuraly and winger Rick Nash, both off skates with upper body injuries, won’t play on Saturday … The Bruins returned Jordan Szwarz to AHL Providence, but also signed him to a contract ($650,000 NHL, $350,000 AHL) for next season.