For the second time in five days, the Boston Bruins will be meeting the New York Rangers, this time at Madison Square Garden in New York. Last Saturday, the Black and Gold scored six goals in a 6-3 win, sparked by a David Pastrnak hat trick.
Just list the last matchup, this one carries a lot of meaning for two teams looking to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff field. New York will also be looking to win the season series against the Bruins, winning the first game last month at home. However, they do it, this is a must-win for Boston, and returning home with two points is key.
Bruins look for huge road win at Rangers
Let’s be honest: it’s crunch time for the Boston Bruins in terms of their postseason hopes. They are stuck in the thick of a heated, jumbled race with a handful of teams for the two wild-card spots in the East. The problem that hangs over the Black and Gold is in the number of games played. They have played the most games of the teams they’re battling with which is not a spot that you want to be in this time of the season.
If you think the Bruins have been a disappointment, the case could be made the Rangers have been a bigger one. After a trip to the Eastern Conference Final last season, New York has underachieved this season, and a recent run has them back in the picture. With the 4 Nations Faceoff break coming up after the weekend, teams want to be in the best position they can be as once the break ends at the end of the month, all eyes will turn toward the March 7 trade deadline.
For the Bruins, this game and Saturday afternoon’s game with the Vegas Golden Knights at home will go a long way toward determining the front office’s deadline path, but a retool seems like it’s going to be in the works. It’s the last thing GM Don Sweeney and President Cam Neely want to do, but it’s the path they must take.