The Bruins know what has to be done in order to continue their season beyond Saturday afternoon, and head coach Bruce Cassidy had a simple message for his team.
Boston and the Carolina Hurricanes play a win or go home Game 7 at PNC Arena. The winner advances to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The series itself has been kind to the home team, and the B's are hopeful to end that streak with a win on the road.
The Bruins have found themselves playing from behind for most of the games, save for Game 6 when they scored first. But Cassidy knows it's not over when the first goal is scored, though it would be nice to be the team to light the lamp first.
"It doesn't mean whatever team scores first (Saturday) is going to win because it's one goal. But if you can extend it now in these type of games it gets difficult (to come back). I think every guy one the ice will be committed when you have the lead to play good defensive hockey, manage pucks, get in shooting lanes maybe a little more than another night," Cassidy told reporters, per team-provided video. "That's where you'll see that will when you talk about a Game 7 come through from every player on the ice. That's important but we know it's been important here. I think we've been prepared to do it we just haven't executed to get that first goal whether you give credit to (Antti) Raanta or just us not finishing well.
"Yes, it's a point of emphasis but you can't live and die on it because what if you don't score the first? You're not out of the game. You gotta remember that. You just work hard to do it, be on your toes, play with urgency so you put yourself in the best position to score."
So, what if things don't go the Bruins' way off the jump?
"... Get the hell back to our game in a hurry so that you can not allow them to extend the lead," Cassidy said.
The Bruins and Hurricanes drop the puck at PNC Arena at 4:30 p.m. ET on NESN.
