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After a four-game road trip and three days off, the Boston Bruins (43-26-10) are back on TD Garden ice for the start of their final back-to-back of the 2025-26 regular season.
The road trip did not go to plan, though; the B’s went 0-2-2 and have not won a game since March 31. They scored one goal in each of their first three games, then five was not enough in the last game.
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The Bruins will face the Tampa Bay Lightning (48-25-6) for the second straight Saturday, and they are coming into Boston on a three-game skid. They are on the final game of a four-game road trip… sound familiar?
Tampa Bay’s last win came against Boston last week, and they are 3-0-0 against the Bruins this season.
The Bruins have a 98.7% chance to make the postseason, per MoneyPuck. Their magic number is two, according to Hockey Magic Numbers. They have an opportunity to book their ticket on Saturday; there’s a simple way, and two more complicated routes.
Win: If the Bruins win, they clinch a playoff berth.
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OT/SO loss: If the Bruins lose and gain a point, they need the Devils to beat the Red Wings and one of the following:
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Senators beat Islanders in any fashion
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Jets beat Flyers in any fashion
Loss: If the Bruins lose, they need the Devils to beat Detroit in regulation, as well as one of the following:
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Senators beat Islanders in regulation
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Jets beat Flyers in regulation
And no, James Hagens will not make his Bruins debut today. He made the trip up I-95 on Wednesday, signed his entry-level contract, and practiced with the Bruins on Thursday and Friday.
Bruins Morning Skate Notes
Marco Sturm will meet with the media approximately 90 minutes before puck drop to announce any lineup changes.
Expected Bruins Lines
Forwards
Morgan Geekie – Elias Lindholm – David Pastrnak
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Casey Mittelstadt – Pavel Zacha – Viktor Arvidsson
Mikey Eyssimont – Fraser Minten – Marat Khusnutdinov
Tanner Jeannot – Sean Kuraly – Mark Kastelic
Defensemen
Jonathan Aspirot – Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm – Mason Lohrei
Nikita Zadorov – Andrew Peeke
Source: Practice yesterday
Starting Goalie
Jeremy Swayman (30-17-4, 2.77 GAA, .906 SV%)
Source: Unconfirmed
Expected Lightning Lines
Forwards
Jake Guentzel – Anthony Cirelli – Nikita Kucherov
Gage Goncalves – Brayden Point
Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Oliver Bjorkstrand
Jakob Pelletier – Nick Paul – Corey Perry
Defensemen
JJ Moser – Declan Carlile
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
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Charle-Edouard D’Astous – Emil Lilleberg
Darren Raddysh
Source: Last game (11 fwd + 7 def)
Starting Goalie
Andrei Vasilevskiy (37-15-4, 2.32 GAA, .912 SV%)
Source: Unconfirmed
Special Teams
Bruins
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Power play: 23.5% (T-8th)
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Penalty kill: 76.6% (25th)
Lightning
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Penalty kill: 82.5% (3rd)
Season Series
Monday, October 13: @ BOS – Lightning win 6-4
Sunday, February 1: @ TB (Stadium Series) – Lightning win 6-5 (shootout)
Saturday, April 4: @ TB – Lightning win 3-1
Saturday, April 11: Lightning @ Bruins
Upcoming Schedule
Sunday, April 12: Bruins @ Blue Jackets, 6:00 PM
Tuesday, April 14: Devils @ Bruins, 7:00 PM
How To Watch
12:30 PM ET
TV: ABC
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub
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The post Bruins Game 80: Clinching Scenarios, Notes, Lines, and How to Watch vs. Lightning appeared first on Boston Hockey Now.
