"I think we just play our game," Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said when asked about the homestretch. "I don't think we look too far into it and just try and play a good, solid road game here tonight. As for looking too far ahead, we're still kind of in this day-to-day grind."
After winning 13 straight games, the Panthers saw their franchise-record streak come to an end with an 8-4 loss to the Lightning in their final home game of the season on Sunday. With most of the game spent on special teams, Florida was 1/6 on the power play, while Tampa Bay was 3/7.
With no love lost on the ice, the cross-state rivals also combined for 90 penalty minutes.
"I think we'll take a couple things from it, but for the most part just kind of move on," Panthers forward Mason Marchment said of the loss. "We've been really, really good the last 12-13 games. I'm happy with the way our team stuck together there. No one's going to push us around now or ever. I think that was one thing we're going to take out of this."
Winning each of their last five games on the road, the Panthers, who have won a team-record 23 games away from home this season, have outscored their opponents 25-13 in that stretch.
Aleksander Barkov leads Florida in goals (23) and points (47) on the road, while Jonathan Huberdeau paces the club with 31 road assists. With a chance to win the Art Ross Trophy, Huberdeau's 115 total points place him three behind Edmonton's Connor McDavid for first.
Trying to become the first 40-game winner in franchise history, Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start in net against the Bruins. Earning wins in each of his last 12 decisions, he's gone 39-6-3 with a .912 save percentage this season, including posting a stellar 13-3-3 mark on the road.
"He's been huge," Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said of his goalie. "To see someone work that hard on a daily basis and gain trust out of the group is really important. Obviously another milestone for him and another reason to show up, compete and try to come out on top tonight."
Holding onto the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 49-25-5, the Bruins have won four of their last five games, including a 5-3 victory at Montreal on Sunday.
But during that five-game stretch, Boston has outscored the opposition by a slim 13-11 margin.
In their last outing against the Canadiens, Patric Bergeron scored a pair of goals and added an assist, Erika Haula, who has cracked the scoresheet in 12 of his last 17 games, found the back of the net twice, and Charlie McAvoy also chipped in a goal from the blue line to lead the Bruins. Brad Marchand sits atop Boston's scoring list with 76 points (31 goals, 45 assists), while David Pastrnak, who recently returned from an injury, is second in points (73) and first in goals (39). In 42 career games against Florida, Marchand has accumulated 38 points (17 goals, 21 assists).
"It's a big game for them," Brunette said. "It'll be a really good test for us. They're as a good as any team in the league. Again, a good road test for us. We expect them to play at their best."
Manning the crease in six of the last seven games, rookie Jeremy Swayman, who has gone 23-13-3 with a .915 save percentage and three shutouts, has been steady all season between the pipes for the Bruins, who rank fourth in the NHL on defense with 2.67 goals allowed per game.
Earning points in each of their two previous meetings with Boston this season, the Panthers followed up a 4-1 victory on Oct. 27 at home with a 3-2 shootout loss on the road on Oct. 30.
In terms of lineup changes for the Panthers, Brunette said that Carter Verhaeghe, who missed the last three games while undergoing a bit of maintenance, will be back on the ice in place of Marchment, who will now get to enjoy a maintenance day of his own as the playoffs approach.
Additionally, with Ryan Lomberg serving a one-game suspension after being assessed an instigator penalty in the final five minutes of Sunday's loss to the Lightning, Joe Thornton, who the Bruins selected with the first-overall pick back in 1997, will take his place in the lineup.
"Gearing up for the playoffs, these are the types of games you look towards on the schedule and try and prepare yourself for," Reinhart said. "We're excited for the opportunity tonight."
