The Boston Bruins are very close to clinching a berth into the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and that moment could come at some point Thursday night.
First the B's must take care of business on home ice against the Ottawa Senators. Both of their clinching scenarios for Thursday involve earning at least one point versus the Senators.
Here's where Bruins stand in NHL playoff race as regular season winds down
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The Bruins will clinch a playoff spot if...
- They beat the Senators in any fashion and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the New York Islanders in any fashion
- They earn one point versus the Senators and the Penguins beat the Islanders in regulation
The Bruins and Penguins are both favorites in their respective games Thursday night, so there's a pretty good chance Boston wraps up a playoff spot pretty soon.
Boston Bruins
In reality, the Bruins getting into the playoffs isn't a matter of if, but when. The only real question is where they will actually finish in the standings, and there is still quite a range of outcomes.
The B's could still climb as high as second place in the Atlantic Division and secure home ice advantage for at least the first round, although that outcome seems unlikely. The more likely scenario is the Bruins finishing third in the Atlantic or the first wild card spot. It's possible Boston could drop down to the second wild card spot, but the odds of that scenario unfolding are small.
The Bruins' current position -- the first wild card -- is probably where they will ultimately end up, and that wouldn't be a bad thing.