Having lost five regulation games in a row for the first time since January 2010, the Black and Gold enter must-win mode. What was once a 10 point lead over the ninth place teams in the East before their trip to California is now a mere one-point advantage over the Flyers (with two games in hand on the Bruins) and Red Wings (one game in hand).
Unlike their previous competition, the Bruins enter tonight’s game against a Leafs team that is trying to secure the right to draft Auston Matthews No. 1 in this June’s draft. Including tonight, five of the B’s next seven opponents currently sit in the bottom half of the East.