If there is a time for the Boston Bruins to turn around their recent stretch, it’s Thursday night. That is easier said than done. After suffering a fifth straight loss, 4-0, to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night at the TD Garden, the Black and Gold are 1-5-1 in their last seven games. Somehow they have held onto third place in the Atlantic Division, but the Tampa Bay Lightning have five games in hand, and being just one point behind them, they can start the Bruins’ descent down the Eastern Conference standings.
A win of any kind that gets Tampa Bay two points on Thursday night will move them ahead of Boston in the standings and there is no better way to do that than on home ice. It’ll be the first of two meetings in five days between the two teams and it could be the beginning of the end of Boston not only in the division but also in the wild card spots.
How to Watch Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning With & Without Cable
This is the beginning of a short two-game trip for the Bruins, but a very difficult one. After their stop in Tampa Bay, they will head south to South Florida to play the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers in Sunrise.
Date: Thursday, Jan. 9
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Amalie Arena
How to Watch: NESN, FDSNSUN, ESPN+, or FuboTV
Right now, there is no reason the think that the Bruins can go on the road and win this game. They have struggled to score and the inability to not defend in their own has compounded matters. Tampa Bay has struggled, but the way Boston is playing and their stubbornness to make roster changes only adds up to the same result that they have been having since the holiday break.