The Bruins put a three-game winning streak and first place in the Atlantic on the line Sunday at home against the Florida Panthers.
Boston comes in at 12-4-1 for 25 points, third in the NHL, after a 6-2 win at Pittsburgh on Thursday night. Marco Sturm's team has been steady for weeks, and this is the kind of game that shows whether that record is the real thing.
Home ice should help. The Bruins are 7-1-0 in their own building, and they've gone 7-2-1 over their last 10.
The goal numbers back it up. Boston has scored 64 and allowed 40, a +24 differential that few teams in the league can match.
The last five games tell the story of a team that has found its footing.
Who is driving the Bruins offense
Start with David Pastrnak, who leads the team with 22 points on 8 goals and 14 assists. When we looked at Pastrnak heading into Pittsburgh, he was at 20. He's added two since.
Elias Lindholm has 14 points, and three of his six goals have been game-winners. That's the kind of production a team wants from its second-line center when games are tight.
Morgan Geekie and John-Jason Peterka each have 13 points. Peterka is a +11 on the season, the best number among the top performers here, and Geekie has five of his points on the power play.
That spread matters. Back in October we flagged how Marco Sturm was leaning on Pastrnak's line after a 2-1 loss in Carolina. The Bruins looked a little top-heavy then, and four forwards now sitting in double digits is a better sign.
Boston's depth is the reason this team looks like a contender, and a Sunday test against a quality opponent is the right place to prove it. Win, and the Bruins stretch the streak to four and keep their grip on the division. Lose, and the cushion at the top gets a lot thinner.
Puck drop is Sunday, November 8.
Quick hits
MINNESOTA WILDKirill Kaprizov had a four-point night, per Michael Russo, and the Wild beat the Sharks 4-1. That's a statement performance from their franchise player.
CALGARY FLAMESThe Flames' five-game winning streak is over. The Ducks rallied to win 5-3 at the Saddledome, with Cutter Gauthier scoring the go-ahead goal.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETSKent Johnson tied the game in Buffalo, but the Blue Jackets still fell 5-2 to the Sabres. Johnson keeps producing, and the team needs more of it.
VANCOUVER CANUCKSElias Pettersson and the Canucks land in Edmonton on Saturday night for the last stop of a quick two-game road trip. A fast start against McDavid's Oilers is a must.
BUFFALO SABRESThe Sabres beat Columbus 5-2 at home, and Josh Norris scored twice. Buffalo got the win it needed.
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