Senators at Bruins
The red-hot Boston Bruins have clinched a postseason berth but are still jockeying for position as they prepare to face a potential first-round opponent in the playoffs. The Ottawa Senators have as many points as the Bruins and also hold a game in hand over their Atlantic Division rival, but they have yet to wrap up a playoff slot entering Thursday night's matchup in Boston.
Ottawa needs one point to punch its ticket to the postseason in a tightly bunched division race in which the Senators, Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs are separated by one point. After snapping a five-game losing streak by shutting out Detroit on Tuesday, Ottawa could catch a break with Boston leading scorer Brad Marchand expected to face disciplinary action from the league as a result of a spearing incident. The Bruins ran their winning streak to six games and halted a two-year playoff drought by blanking Tampa Bay on Tuesday. "The city of Boston deserves the playoffs," netminder Tuukka Rask said after winning his fourth consecutive start and registering his career-high ninth shutout.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, RDS, TSN5 (Ottawa), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (42-27-10): Veteran forward Clarke MacArthur was ruled out for the season by general manager Pierre Dorion after failing a baseline concussion test in January, but he was medically cleared last week and returned to the lineup Tuesday. It was an emotional return for MacArthur, who had been sidelined October 2015. "It's been two years of never knowing if you are going to get back or what's going to happen, so, just happy to be back playing," MacArthur said after playing 9:44.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (44-30-6): Marchand, who has established career highs with 39 goals and 46 assists, is likely facing a suspension after spearing Lightning defenseman Jake Dotchin in the groin during Tuesday's game. Marchand, who has a hearing with the NHL Player Safety Department on Thursday morning, admitted the infraction was "undisciplined" -- a sentiment echoed by coach Bruce Cassidy. “We’ll have a talk with Brad," Cassidy said. "He’s got to be more responsible, but at the end of the day, it happened."
OVERTIME
1. Ottawa has won five in a row against the Bruins, including all three meetings this season.
2. Boston improved to 18-7-0 since Cassidy replaced Claude Julien.
3. Senators D Erik Karlsson hobbled off the ice Tuesday but coach Guy Boucher said his captain suffered a stinger on the heel.