Two teams with designs on first place in their respective divisions face off in a game that could have serious implications as the Stanley Cup playoffs draw closer.
The Bruins snapped out of a two-game skid Tuesday that dropped them to third in the Atlantic Division. But while any matchup against the defending Stanley Cup champions is inevitably tough, the Penguins have hit a rough patch of their own, dropping two straight games without starting goalie Matt Murray, who's out indefinitely with a concussion.
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The Bruins are also without injured star Patrice Bergeron.
Boston and Pittsburgh split the season series with one another, and this will be the final meeting between the two unless their paths cross again in the Eastern Conference finals. This time, there are a couple new faces following trade deadline deals: Rick Nash with the Bruins and Derick Brassard with the Penguins. Both sides will be motivated to use their newly acquired roster pieces to separate themselves from their opponent, and the rest of the playoff field.
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Penguins vs. Bruins
Time: 7 p.m. ET, Thursday, March 1
Location: TD Garden, Boston
TV: NBCSN
Streaming: fuboTV (sign up for a 7-day free trial)