When you've punched your ticket to the postseason with five weeks remaining in the regular season like the Bruins have, it can be difficult to keep your foot on the gas and not let up down the stretch.
On the flip side, when you've been on a historic run like the Bruins have, there's always one more record you can capture or break. Having already earned the President's Trophy, and the dreaded curse that supposedly goes along with it, the only thing left to do is complete the mission and win the most coveted trophy in all of sports -- the Stanley Cup Right?
Not so fast ... the Bruins are two wins away to tie the all-time wins record of 62 set by the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and duplicated by the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning, and head coach Jim Montgomery recently told 92.9 The Ticket’s “Morning Roast” that he sees the opportunity as a way to prepare for the postseason. And the team, just like all season, seems to be buying in.
"It's something where we can focus on playing our best for these next five games," Charlie McAvoy told reporters on Thursday, per team-provided video. "I think it's something that gets you even more prepared for the playoffs so I think that's how we're seeing it."
McAvoy added having a game against the divisional rival Toronto Maple Leafs at the end of the season is a good measuring stick for where the team stands as the season winds down.
"It's good to see where we're at playing meaningful hockey down the stretch you know as we get ready for the postseason," he said.
Charlie Coyle echoed his teammates opinion on facing the Maple Leafs when he spoke with reporters at Warrior Ice Arena following Thursday's morning skate.
"It's a good test, you know, focus on tonight. But the teams that you're gonna see could potentially see in the next couple of weeks. Makes it a little easier to get up for the game," Coyle said. "We want to show them our best and what we're capable of. So they're thinking about that when you know next time we see them, if we do.
"So it's a great test for us and we want to make sure we're up for it and give it our best here to see how we match up this late in the year."
Coyle noted that having the all-time wins record to work toward will help the team focus and be ready to go in the final five games.
"It's those little lulls where you know, you already solidified a spot (in the playoffs). It's how do you keep that focus? How do you make sure? You must provide challenges for yourself and, and that's one that's one there where we can keep us motivated and give us something to strive for," Coyle explained. "I mean, it's not the end of the world if we get there or not you know.
"You grow up and you want to win a cup, right? So that's the main thing, but these little things along the way, are only good things that can you can add to your resume and I think as a team, It shows a lot in what we're capable of and what what we've done and accomplished this year."
The Bruins will be shorthanded on Thursday when they face Toronto with David Krejci, who is missing his second game with a lower-body injury. Across the ice, the Maple Leafs will welcome back a key member of their club when Ryan O'Reilly returns to the lineup after missing the last 14 games due to surgery on his finger.
