Boston Bruins: Four-game homestand a nice gift for the players

With the four-game road trip behind them, the Boston Bruins are set to play four straight games at home.

After a tough four-game road trip, the Boston Bruins head home to play four straight games at TD Garden. The homestand kicks off Tuesday night when the LA Kings come to town.

Four home games in a row will feel like an early Christmas gift for the players given their difficult schedule as of late.

The Bruins lost two straight home games a couple weeks ago to Chicago and Colorado. They then had the chance to quickly turn things around on the road. With Patrice Bergeron back in the lineup, most expected the Bruins to do just that.

However, the Bruins struggled during the recent road trip, as they finished with only one win.

The trip got off to a bad start when Boston dropped the first game against Ottawa. The Bruins couldn’t muster enough offense against one of the worst teams in the league.

Then, the Bruins faced a difficult back-to-back against Washington and Tampa Bay. They didn’t play poorly by any means, but the Bruins still lost both games.

Fortunately, the Bruins bounced back to defeat Florida in the fourth game of the trip. The top line dominated the Panthers to end the road trip on a high note.

Now, with the road trip behind them, the Bruins can set their sights on some home wins. Boston only has one regulation loss in 18 home games so far. Twelve of these 18 games resulted in two points. The Bruins hope this continues over the next four games.

Bruins homestand includes the Kings, Islanders, Predators, and Capitals

Boston welcomes the Kings in the first game of the homestand. The Kings are in the middle of another difficult season, so this matchup is a great chance for the Bruins to start with a positive result.

The Bruins better take advantage of this chance because the next three games are versus teams in the playoff picture.

The New York Islanders come to town Thursday. While they lack household names in the lineup, the Islanders play a structured game that has them in the second spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Next up after the Islanders is Nashville. The Predators have a deep defense and strong goaltending, so the Bruins forwards better come to play from the start on Saturday night.

Finally, the Bruins end the homestand next Monday against the Washington Capitals. As we saw last Wednesday, the Capitals continue to be a thorn in the side of the Bruins. This will be another big test for Boston.

The Bruins, although they lost three out of four road games, aren’t in trouble in the standings. Currently, they remain nine points clear of second-place Buffalo in the Atlantic Division.

Nonetheless, Boston needs to build off the win and Florida and find its game moving forward. This upcoming four-game homestand is a great opportunity for the Bruins to string together a few more wins.