UNIONDALE, NYThe Bruins have clinched a playoff spot and they sit only two pointsand some good circumstancesaway from securing the Northeast Division title with a Saturday afternoon matine against the Islanders staring them in the face.
A game like this might have trouble written all over it for the Bruins, but Black and Gold assistant captain Patrice Bergeron expects the commitment to be there for Boston to finish strong with a chance to really secure their position within the Eastern Conference.
The Bruins have just grabbed hold of their game after it had eluded them for so long, and now is no time to start slacking against the sad sack Islanders once again.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The more we keep playing the better we get and the more we get into a groove, said Patrice Bergeron. Its a good thing we clinched. Thats why we play 82 games and we go through the entire seasonto wait for the real season to begin.
But we need to make sure were happy and not satisfied. We need to keep going strong for the next five games.
The Bruins get to put Bergerons words into actions against the Islanders at the forgettable NHL venue known as Nassau Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
PLAYER NEEDING HIS TIRED PUMPED: Patrice Bergeron has no need to get his tires pumped in the face-off circle or in the defensive end, but the great two-way center has only one goal in 16 games during the month of March. While Bergeron and the Bruins have been focused on the defensive end of the ice, they could certainly use some offensive boost from No. 37.
DRESSING ROOM MANTRA HEADED INTO THE GAME: We have five games left going into the playoffs and we need to make sure we have a good effort going into the playoffs. We need the right attitude and the right frame of mind, so we can make sure ready once the postseason starts. Patrice Bergeron on the mindset of the team in the final weeks of the regular season.
KEY MATCHUP: Matt Moulson has four points and two goals in three games against the Bruins this season, and has been a consistent thorn in Bostons side with his scrappy offense and quick hands around the net. It will be up to Zdeno Chara and the Patrice Bergeron line to neutralize the top-heavy forward group of the Isles with Molson, John Tavares and P.A. Parenteau doing all the damage on the Island.
STAT TO WATCH: .2the number of points needed in a Bruins win and a regulation loss by the Ottawa Senators for the Bs to clinch the Northeast Division on Saturday.
INJURIES: Tuukka Rask (groin strainabdomen strain) and Nathan Horton (mild concussion) are long term injuries for the Bruins, but Rask may be hitting the ice next week with an eye toward returning for the playoffs. Dennis Seidenberg is out with an infected cut on his left leg and Adam McQuaid is out with a cut over his left eye. Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov (lower body) is also hoping to get back in action before the end of the season.
GOALTENDING MATCH-UP: Marty Turco gets the starting nod for the Boston Bruins and will be looking to build on his victorious performance against the Anaheim Ducks last weekend. With the Bruins clinching a playoff berth and on the verge of securing the Northeast Division, expect the 36-year-old Turco to get his fair share of playing time over the last five games. Al Montoya has a 2.73 goals against average and a .917 save percentage against the Bruins this season, but its anybodys best guess who gets the starting nod for the Isles.