With one game left before the Olympic break, the Bruins are staring down a crucial opportunity - not just to bank two points, but to shake off the sting of a blown four-goal lead in their Stadium Series showdown against the Lightning. That one hurt.
And with the clock ticking toward a three-week pause, the B’s don’t have time to dwell. They’ve got to respond - and fast.
Standing in their way? A Florida Panthers team that’s just as desperate, if not more.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champs are nine points behind Boston in the playoff race, with four teams between them and the Bruins’ hold on the second wild card spot. The B’s, for their part, have a five-point cushion over the nearest team on the outside looking in - the Washington Capitals - but that margin can evaporate quickly in this league.
Both clubs are banged up. Boston’s still without its top two centers, Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha, and Florida could be missing key pieces too, with Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Anton Lundell all questionable. That sets the stage for a gritty, mentally demanding game - one where depth, discipline, and focus will matter just as much as talent.
“This is a one-game mission for us. It’s two big points,” head coach Marco Sturm said ahead of the matchup.
“I know a lot of guys may have the Olympics in their heads a little, which is normal. But somehow we have to find a way to steal two points from Florida.”
Sturm isn’t sugarcoating it. He knows the Panthers are in the same boat - fighting for their playoff lives, managing injuries, and trying to keep one eye on the present while the other glances toward Milan. But the Bruins coach is trying to keep his group locked in on the task at hand.
After Sunday’s emotional outdoor game at Raymond James Stadium, the Bruins took Monday as a travel and recovery day - no practice, just a chance to decompress. Sturm felt the team needed it.
“It’s an emotional event and I think it’s a good thing to have a day in between,” he said. “Guys were excited for a good practice and hopefully for a good game (Wednesday).”
Still, Sturm made sure to address the breakdowns from the Lightning game - particularly the penalties that helped Tampa claw back into it.
“They dragged us in for some stupid penalties,” Sturm said. “We gave them life, we gave them hope, we gave them momentum. That’s something we have to learn from and move on.”
And if the Bruins need a test of their discipline, they’re getting it. The Panthers are a team that can frustrate opponents into mistakes - and capitalize when they do.
Meanwhile, there was some big news off the ice as well. With Buffalo’s Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen sidelined by injury, Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo has been named to Team Finland for the upcoming Olympic Games. He joins defenseman Henri Jokiharju as Boston’s representatives on the Finnish squad.
“It means a lot,” Korpisalo said. “Obviously, I feel bad for Luukkonen.
(Bad) time for an injury just one week before the Olympics. But I’m happy to jump in and it’s a great honor.”
Korpisalo’s earned it. He went 4-0-1 in January and has been rock solid since a tough outing against Buffalo back in late December. Sturm praised the veteran netminder’s bounce-back.
“He really stepped up his game probably since the Buffalo game,” Sturm said. “He deserved to be in there and I’m very happy for him.”
That brings Boston’s Olympic contingent up to eight players from the NHL roster, plus forward Dans Locmelis from Providence, who will suit up for Latvia. It’s a proud moment for the organization - but it also adds a layer of complexity when everyone returns.
Sturm acknowledged the mixed emotions.
“Yes and no,” he said when asked if he was happy about all the Olympic nods. “A lot of guys, and it’s a big month for us (in March).
But again, I’ve been in the Olympics and I know how great it is and how important it is to some players. I’m just happy they have a chance to go.
We’ll figure it out.”
That likely means some rest days for returning Olympians once they’re back in the fold. The Bruins will need to manage workloads carefully - especially with a playoff push looming.
As for Lindholm and Zacha, both are still expected to play in the Olympics for Sweden and Czechia, respectively. But their status is still in flux.
“As of right now, yes,” Sturm said. “But again, they’re still not here so that’s not good.
So that means they still have issues. But up to this point, it’s probably more up to the (respective federations’) doctors than ours and their decision moving forward.”
In the AHL, goaltender Michael DiPietro is turning heads. The 26-year-old was named the AHL’s Goalie of the Month after posting an 8-1 record in January with a sparkling 1.34 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage. On the season, he’s 18-5-0 with a 1.67 GAA and .940 save percentage - numbers that jump off the page.
With former Bruins prospect Brandon Bussi now making waves in Carolina, Boston may have to think long and hard about how to keep DiPietro in the fold. He cleared waivers to start the season in Providence, but odds are he wouldn’t sneak through again. He’s under contract for one more year, while Korpisalo has two seasons remaining on his deal.
The Bruins’ front office will have some decisions to make - and not just on the ice. The NHL’s trade freeze kicks in at 3 p.m. Wednesday and runs through February 22, locking rosters during the Olympic window.
But before that, there’s one more game to play. One more chance to grab two points. And one more test of focus before the Olympic flame takes center stage.