The Boston Bruins head to Tampa Bay on Thursday night with hopes of snapping a five-game losing streak in their first matchup of the season against the Lightning. Both teams are looking to solidify their standings in the Eastern Conference, with Boston seeking to regain its defensive identity and Tampa Bay aiming to build on its recent success. The Bruins (0-4-1 in their last five games) are navigating unfamiliar territory, having not missed the playoffs since the 2015-16 season. The team has struggled during this current slide, earning just one point in five games and facing stiff competition on the road against teams like the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Captain Brad Marchand emphasized the importance

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in desperate need of a win as they host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. The Penguins are stuck in a four-game losing streak and face an Oilers team that’s riding the momentum of four straight wins. Let’s dive into how these two teams are shaping up ahead of this key matchup. The Penguins are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. It was their third straight game to go into extra time, but they’ve failed to come out on top in any of them. Despite the slump, Pittsburgh is still tied with Columbus for the last wild-card spot in the East, though Columbus holds the tiebreaker. To make matters

The New Jersey Devils visit the New York Rangers on Thursday, looking to complete a season sweep of their Metropolitan Division rivals. Despite recent struggles, the Devils will rely on their dominant performances in the first two meetings, where they outscored the Rangers 10-1, to carry momentum into Madison Square Garden. New Jersey (2-4-0 in their last six games) snapped a four-game losing streak with a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Monday. Jack Hughes, who shone in the December matchups against the Rangers, hasn’t scored in five games, matching his longest drought this season. However, he provided the key assist on Ondrej Palat’s game-winner against Seattle, a much-needed spark for the Devils. Hughes, who has 15 goals

The Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators meet Thursday night in a crucial Eastern Conference matchup, each team eager to make strides in the playoff race. The Sabres have found some stability after a turbulent season, while the Senators look to reclaim their scoring touch as they return home following a long road trip. Buffalo’s season has been a roller coaster, marked by streaks of success and frustration. After starting with three consecutive losses, the Sabres went on an impressive 11-6-1 run, including a dominant 7-2-0 stretch in November. However, a 13-game winless streak (0-10-3) left them at the bottom of the standings. Since snapping that skid on December 23, Buffalo has gone 4-2-1, showing signs of revival. A key factor