The Boston Bruins were not given a favorable schedule by the NHL for January.
The Boston Bruins recently concluded a 14-day span of eight games. They also fared rather well, finishing 4-1-3 overall and losing only once in regulation.
Before the NHL All-Star break, the Bruins have one more demanding stretch of games left on their schedule. The Boston Bruins will play six games in twelve days starting on Thursday, including a few against elite opponents like the Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, and Carolina Hurricanes.
Fortunately for the Bruins, Boston, with a 13-3-3 record, will host the first four of these six games at TD Garden.
Why is the B’s run leading up to the All-Star break so crucial?
It’s a chance for them to grab some crucial points against some of the NHL’s bottom-feeding teams and make a statement by defeating a couple of the league’s finest teams. Essentially, the Bruins may increase their advantage in the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division rankings and provide themselves with a substantial cushion going into the second half of the regular season.
The Boston Bruins are currently leading the Florida Panthers by just three points in the division. They also have a three-point advantage over the New York Rangers, who are leading the Metropolitan Division, for the top conference spot.
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The game versus the Avalanche on Thursday night is fantastic. The Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022 and have been consistent contenders for a time. They’ve won eight of their previous ten games, including a hard-fought OT victory over the Bruins last week. Center Nathan MacKinnon of the Avalanche is rapidly moving up the Hart Trophy contender rankings, having scored 14 points in eight games in January (for a season total of 72 points).
Next Monday, the B’s will play host to the Winnipeg Jets. On December 22, these clubs squared off in Winnipeg, where the Jets easily defeated the Bruins 5-1. It’s also the only time the Bruins have lost by more than three goals this season, making it their biggest defeat to date.
Throughout the campaign, Winnipeg has been one of the surprise teams. Instead of trading standout goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck and No. 1 center Mark Scheifele, they re-signed both to large, long-term contracts. As of Thursday, they had 62 points (29-10-4) and the best record in the league. In the past ten games, the Jets have a 9-1-0 record.
Next Wednesday, the Bruins take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the first of three games of the regular season. The Hurricanes had a slower start to the season than anticipated, but they have since heated up, going 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Boston is more aware than anybody else that Carolina is a difficult club to play against. This game will be a terrific test for the Bruins because these games usually have a playoff intensity.
On January 27, Boston plays its last game before the All-Star break against the Philadelphia Flyers. This will be the first of three regular-season games between the Bruins and the Flyers. With a four-game winning streak going into Thursday, the Flyers have risen all the way to second place in their division.
Not only would defeating these four teams demonstrate to the rest of the league that the Bruins are capable of regularly defeating opponents of this caliber, but it would also instill immense confidence in the club as they head into the All-Star break.
Getting the job done against the weaker opponents on their schedule in the next two weeks should be another goal for the Bruins before the All Star break. The Bruins host the Ottawa Senators on January 25 and the Montreal Canadiens on January 20, who are ranked sixth and eighth in the division, respectively.
The Bruins would have enough cushion to reduce the amount of time their veterans play if they could increase their lead in the division to eight or more points by the All-Star break. In terms of scoring and ice time this season, the Bruins have depended heavily on their top-six forwards and top-four defensemen.
Naturally, the Bruins will aim to win each and every game after the All-Star break. These guys are all professionals with fierce competition. However, they would have the freedom to play some of the rookies more minutes and give the veterans a couple additional nights off if they were leading the standings. By doing this, the best players may play as soon as feasible in the playoffs.