Boston is headed to the postseason
Despite being idle on Thursday night, the Boston Bruins clinched a Stanley Cup Playoff berth for the eighth consecutive season.
The Montreal Canadiens aided the Bruins in their quest for the postseason by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 in regulation on Thursday night.
This marks the 77th postseason in franchise history. The last time the Bruins missed the playoffs was the 2016 season. Since 2017, the Bruins have won six rounds in the postseason, including three in 2019, when the club lost the Stanley Cup Finals to the St. Louis Blues.
The Bruins have won six titles in franchise history: 1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, and 2011. Boston has also appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals 20 times.
Brad Marchand is the only current Bruins player who won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011. He will make his 12th playoff appearance in 15 seasons.
While Ray Bourque leads the Bruins all-time in playoff points with 161, David Pastrnak and Marchand are tied with Patrice Bergeron for second place with 128. The duo can pull away from Bergeron and inch closer to the franchise record this postseason.
The Bruins’ overall record is 42-17-15. With 99 points, Boston holds a two-point lead over the Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division.
The New York Rangers are the only other team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a Stanley Cup Playoffs berth.
Boston’s final regular season game is April 16 when the Black and Gold host the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are slated to get underway on April 20.