No reason for B’s to slow down now
The Bruins were understandably elated Tuesday night that they locked up a return to the Stanley Cup playoffs after missing out the last two seasons because of late collapses.
From owner Jeremy Jacobs down to the lowestranking employee in the organization — and certainly the fans, too — there should be elation that this team managed to pull off the highly improbable feat of rebuilding and winning at the same time.
And the B’s will not be a “we’re just glad to be here” playoff participant.
Given the solid brand of three-zone hockey the Bruins have played during their current six-game win streak, they will not go into the postseason looking like firstround cannon fodder in the Eastern Conference. Instead, the B’s will be an opponent no team will relish facing, one that could stick around for a legitimate run.
That said, it’s imperative the Bruins avoid being caught basking in their success. The approach to the remaining two regular-season games needs to include the same urgency as those in the win streak.
It remains possible for the B’s to avoid facing the NHLleading Washington Capitals in Round 1. Las Vegas oddsmaker Bovada makes the Capitals (11-2) the second choice as Stanley Cup favorites, behind only the Chicago Blackhawks (9-2). The Bruins came in at 28-1 to tie for the No. 14 pick.
The Bruins will face the Capitals if they finish in the East’s No. 2 wild card slot. Far preferable would be ending up in second or third place in the Atlantic Division and facing, maybe, tonight’s Garden visitors, the Ottawa Senators. The best option: Having home ice for the first series.
Yes, the Bruins are 0-3-0 this season against the Senators and have struggled at times moving the puck up ice against the ultra-conservative 1-3-1 formation coach Guy Boucher often uses. But in the teams’ last meeting, the B’s seemed to have figured out ways to penetrate the Boucher system.
“They’re a tight-checking team,” Bruins defenseman Torey Krug said. “It’s a big part of the game when you play Ottawa. They thrive off turnovers in the neutral zone and they go the other way with it. (Tonight) will be another good test for us to see how we can handle it.”
So, for many reasons, including that these teams may be facing off in Game 1 of the playoffs as early as next Wednesday, tonight’s game is a big one.
“We’ve got to get ready for Ottawa,” B’s interim coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It’s an important game. We want to finish as well as we can in terms of how we’re playing, the points we accumulate (and) where we finish in the standings.
“Next week will be here soon enough. We’ll deal with that then. . . . Our focus is on Ottawa.”
Bruins notes
Recently signed rookie center Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson has also been practicing, but the team is still trying to get immigration issues for the 20-year-old Swede sorted out before he can play. Charlie McAvoy, Forsbacka Karlsson’s Boston University teammate who also signed with the B’s after the college season, remains with Providence of the AHL. Cassidy hinted there was a chance the defenseman may be in the lineup Saturday against the Capitals. . . .
Injured forwards Frank Vatrano (upper body), Tim Schaller (lower body) and Jimmy Hayes (lower body) continue to skate in efforts to return to the lineup ahead of the playoffs.