It doesn't matter that the Boston Bruins have dropped three consecutive games (one in overtime), including a 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday night at BB&T Center, because all the focus is on the Stanley Cup playoffs. The one issue — the only important one — is the Bruins want to play well going into the playoffs and not crawl into the postseason. Well, they've now done that the past three games, and now the Bruins no longer hold their seeding destiny in their own hands.
Three games ago, the Bruins looked on their way to home-ice advantage throughout the postseason. Now, the loss to the Panthers dropped the Bruins behind the Tampa Lightning and into the third seed in the Eastern Conference at the moment.
The Lightning and Bruins are tied with 110 points with two games to play. Tampa Bay holds the edge for the moment because they have one more regulation or overtime win (ROW).
Instead of winning the Atlantic and the top seed to take on the lowest wild-card qualifier from the Metro division (Devils, Flyers or Panthers), the Bruins would now have to play the third seed from the Atlantic (Maple Leafs). Obviously, a much tougher matchup (Bruins are 1-2-1 against Toronto this season).
Both the Bruins and Lightning have two games to play. If they finished tied in points and ROW, then the Bruins would clinch the top seed since they won the head-to-head series (3-1).
A look at the final two games for each team (opponent's points total):
Bruins: Saturday vs. Senators (67 points), Sunday vs. Panthers (92).
Lightning: Tonight vs. Buffalo (62), Saturday at Carolina (81).
"We need to learn a lesson from it," said David Backes. "We have 120 minutes left of hockey to find our playoff intensity, to just roll our game on a team for 60 minutes and see what their response is. Seeing how well we played the majority of the year, we were a notch above other teams on most nights. We need to get back to that to go into the playoffs with the right mentality so we can play well and reach our next goal.
Everything else you need to know from the Bruins' loss in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis.
HEADLINES
Bad start: It didn't help that the Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period. It's unusual that the Bruins couldn't mount a comeback, which is something that's been able to do the entire season. The Bruins fell behind 2-0, 3-0 and 2-0 in the three games on this trip against two teams fighting for their playoff lives (Flyers, Panthers) and another that had to show something against the Bruins after dropping the previous three meetings (Tampa Bay). Coach Bruce Cassidy is obviously trying to figure out if this is just circumstance or a problem that could fester.
"It's not acceptable, we know that," he said. "That's been the formula the three games on this trip: we've played from behind, we got one out of six points and that's what's going to happen in this league, I don't care what teams you play. We've played three hungry teams so that's part of it. It's just a bad formula to play from behind. As a coach, you have to prepare your team to play, but it’s Game 80 and guys have to be ready to play when the puck drops and that's what we have to look to correct. Is it the situation we're in, or has it crept into our game? We won't know that until next Thursday (when the playoffs start)."
Tough night for top-line D: Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, after extended absences for both, were going to need some time to round into form together. Looks like they need more time as both were on the ice for the Panthers' first two goals, which could have been cleaned up.
"Will at the puck," Cassidy said when asked what was missing. "Two goals cost us tonight just in front of the net. They had more will on them and just banged them home."
McAvoy was beaten to the net by Aleksander Barkov on the first one.
Goal #100 for #16. #BOSvsFLA pic.twitter.com/3NWrc3m72f
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) April 6, 2018
Frankie Vatrano tallies one against his former team for the #Cats second goal of the night. ? ? #BOSvsFLA pic.twitter.com/235CNrF5fk
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) April 6, 2018
Jared McCann with the most CLUTCH goal of the season keeps our playoff hopes alive! #BOSvsFLA pic.twitter.com/9bqlKRdvg0
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) April 6, 2018
RYAN DONATO BURIES THE REBOUND FOR A POWER PLAY GOAL! BRUINS WITHIN 1! pic.twitter.com/NAnmwuEcv6
— NHL Daily 365 (@NHLDaily365) April 6, 2018