Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak (88) scores as Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (35) fails to stop the puck as defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (24) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday, February 15, 2024, in Boston.
BOSTON — For the first time in 119 days, the Boston Bruins are looking up to someone else in the Eastern Conference and the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins’ 4-1 loss to the Kraken at TD Garden on Thursday, combined with the Panthers’ 4-0 victory over Buffalo, left both teams with 74 points. Because regulation wins (RWs) are the initial tie-breaker, Florida (35-15-4, 30 RWs) officially leads Boston (32-12-10, 26 RWs).
The division champion will face a wild card club in the first round, while the second-place team will play the division’s third-place team. If the season ended Thursday, the Bruins would play the Lightning in the playoffs.
The Vancouver Canucks have the NHL’s best record, 37-12-6.
The Boston players stated that getting into the playoffs is their only goal.
“After last year, we don’t pay too much attention to that,” Brandon Carlo stated. “It is mainly about keeping playoff position. We aren’t particularly concerned with anyone else; we just want to improve our game. It’s excellent to have the opportunity to evaluate your competitors at the end of the year. It’s fun. That is hockey. But inside, we are just concerned with our own game.”
David Pastrnak agreed.
“We’re definitely focused on ourselves here in the room,” he went on to say. “We have a home stretch with only a few games left. We need to win on Saturday and Monday to get back in the winners’ column. “Teams are breathing on our necks.”
