Boston Bruins face make-or-break showdown with Montreal Canadiens as playoff odds hang in the balance. A regulation win could rocket Boston’s postseason chances to 75%, while a loss drops their hopes to a coin flip—underscoring just how pivotal this Atlantic Division clash has become.
Ian McLaren highlights lineup shifts, including Jeremy Swayman’s strong recent form (.930 save percentage in March), and breaks down key absences like Kirby Dach for Montreal. Get the latest on the Bruins’ playoff math, the impact of the Blue Jackets, Islanders, and Red Wings’ results, and how recent injuries and roster tweaks could shape Boston’s postseason destiny.
With top lines reshuffled and critical Eastern Conference battles unfolding, are the Bruins poised to seize a playoff spot—or slip behind their rivals?
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It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.
Tonight could literally be the biggest game of the season for the Boston Ruins.
With the win, their playoff chances are around 75%.
If they lose in regulation, they're down to 55%.
That's how big of a swing is on the line in tonight's game in Montreal.
Your Lockdown Bruins, your daily podcast on the Boston Bruins, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.
What is up Bruins fans and welcome back to the Lockdown Boston Bruins Podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, now the number one sports podcast network.
I'm your host Ian McLaren, I am a lifelong Boston Bruins fan and I've been covering this team and the NHL for various outlets for nearly 20 years.
Today is Tuesday, March 17th, Happy St. Patrick's Day and welcome back to a bonus episode of Lockdown Boston Bruins where we are teeing up tonight's huge game in Montreal against the Canadians.
We're going to discuss what is on the line here for the Canadians and Bruins and what the implications are of this particular game.
And yeah, just bring you all the latest in terms of the lineup news and notes as well.
Look, I'm not exaggerating at all when I say that tonight's game is the biggest for the Bruins so far this season.
Here's what is on the line, if you look at money puck and you look at their kind of projections for wins, losses and the implications in terms of a playoff spot, there's a 20% swing on the line tonight for the Boston Bruins.
We'll start with if they pick up a loser point, if they lose to the Habs in overtime, their playoff chances go down slightly to 63.5%.
If they beat the Habs in overtime, so they get two points while the Habs pick up one point, the Bruins chances go up by 9% to 73.3%.
Fairly confident they'd make the playoffs if they win tonight, this model is in regulation, though, there's even more on the line because if the Bruins win in regulation,
their playoff chances go up to 75.4%, an 11.1% increase on what they are right now.
If they lose in regulation, though, the Bruins chances decrease by 9.5% to 54.8%.
So if the Bruins lose tonight in regulation to the Canadians, their playoff chances are basically a toss up.
If they win in regulation, a 75% chance.
So three, out of every four, I'm not a math major, but play the season, the rest of the season, the Bruins would make it three out of every four times you run that model, which is pretty significant.
There are some games to keep an eye on around the NHL tonight, the Islanders taking on the Maple Leafs, the Blue Jackets are hosting the Hurricanes.
What else, those are probably the two main games to keep an eye on tonight, because those are the two teams closest to the Bruins in the standings.
Right now, heading into tonight's game, the Bruins are one point back of the Canadians.
So if they beat Montreal in regulation, they would jump to the number three spot in the Atlantic Division and just hold themselves out of the wildcard battle all together.
The Blue Jackets are two points back of Boston with a game in hand, but they're also two points back of the New York Islanders with a game in hand, meaning if the Blue Jackets are able to win tonight, they have a clear shot at jumping up into an Atlantic or sorry, a Metropolitan Division playoff spot pulling them out of the wildcard race as well.
So there's a chance that, you know, for a while, we've been talking about Boston clinging to this wildcard spot with Columbus hot on their heels.
Both of those teams could jump into one of the top three spots in their respected divisions, which is an automatic ticket to the playoffs, and you avoid playing the number one seeds in Buffalo and Carolina.
And that would leave the Islanders, the Red Wings, Senators battling it out for the two wildcard spots.
Right now Detroit in the wildcard has his Boston with Columbus and Ottawa hot on their heels and the Senators are five points back of Detroit with two games in hand.
So there's a real possibility where Boston moves up Columbus moves up, then you have the Islanders, Canadians, Red Wings, all fighting for those playoff spots and even the Senators.
So so much on the line for the Boston Bruins tonight, if they win in regulation, 75.4% chance of making the playoffs.
If they lose in regulation, they drop down to 54.8% and worst cases, they lose in regulation, the Blue Jackets win in regulation, and then you have what was the other game that I said, the Islanders beating the Maple Leafs in regulation as well.
That would be worst case scenario tonight for the Boston Bruins.
So huge game tonight in Montreal.
Now the problem is the Bruins played last night, right, whereas the Canadians were not in action.
They were last in action, I should say the other night against the Anaheim ducks, a game in which Kirby Doc, who I like, you won't believe the injuries.
I'm suffering on my keeper salary cat fantasy league right with the playoffs beginning next week.
I have Leon Drysato knocked out until the playoffs, Kirby Doc, two to four weeks.
I already had Miko Ranton in out since the Olympics.
I had Kevin Fiella injured at the Olympics.
I picked up Adrian Kempe.
He's now day to day like the worst timing injury wise.
Anyways, they'll be without Kirby Doc.
We'll discuss some of the lineup implications for tonight's game and who's likely in for the Bruins,
who's in for the Canadians, all that coming up here as this bonus episode of Lockdown Boston Bruins continues.
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These days as we are gearing up for a major playoff push for the Boston Bruins.
We already talked about what is on the line tonight.
Basically a 20 point swing in Boston's playoff probabilities.
And there are some lineup changes.
Defense been Henry Yokey Haru, Jordan Harris, forward Alex Steve's and Jonas Corbisalo,
were the only Bruins who took part in an optional skate for the Bruins.
This morning following their four three overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday.
And that signals that they will be out of the lineup.
Meaning and repeat will be back on the third pairing with Nikita Zadorov and Mikey Asemont will be back in the lineup.
Likely playing on the fourth line with Shankar Alley and Mark Kasslik with Tanner Jeno.
Jumping on the third line with Elias Lindholm and Morgan Geeky.
Second line remaining intact that spins Boston's most effective line.
For weeks if not months now.
The kid line getting another look up top with Dave Apostinock being centered by Fraser Minton and Marat Hussner Dinov on the other wing.
Jeremy Swamin will be in net tonight and he will need one of his biggest performances of the season in order to give his chance the best or his team I should say the best chance of winning.
And he has been very, very good as of late for the Boston Bruins.
You know, he had not the best showing in the stadium series game.
And he's had some ups and downs this season, but so far in the month of March.
He's rocking a nine thirty save percentage with a record of four one and a two one win over the penguins.
A three one win over the Washington capitals a two one overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings.
And then the three two shut out win against the Washington capitals just on Saturday.
His only loss came last week at the hands of the San Jose sharks in which he allowed four goals.
Other than that, he's allowed five goals total in the four other games.
The four wins he's achieved so far in the month of March 1.79 goals against average nine thirty save percentage.
He did have the two rough games in February, but January 902 save percentage.
November was his previous best month. We're at a nine thirty five save percentage.
He's been very, very good as of late for the Boston Bruins.
And he'll need to continue to be so for them to have the best shot at making the playoffs from a Canadians perspective.
They've got Arbor Jacquei, Joe Valeno and Sam Montembo scratched.
It'll be Jacob Dobas in net for the Canadians with Jacob Fowler serving as the backup Kirby doc out with an upper body injury.
And Patrick Lina remains out with a lower body injury.
As I mentioned earlier, doc out two to four weeks after leaving in the first period of a loss to the ducks on Sunday.
Following a high hit by Anaheim Ducks Ford and former Boston Bruin Jeffrey VL.
So that's a big ouch for them. He's been playing some of his better hockey of his career.
He's been often injured. A lot of people on socials talking about how, you know, Kirby doc is injury prone or brittle.
I mean, that hit that he took the other night would have taken most guys out.
That was not because of his inability to stay healthy. That's just a bad hit.
Anyways, they're lines. They've got the top line of Cole Coffield, Nick Suzuki, Ureis Flavkovski,
which is unreal line up top for them. Zachary Bolduke will come in, play on the third line.
Alex Newhook, Oliver Cappanin, Ivan Demidov, guys to keep an eye on.
As are like Matheson, Noah Dobson, and of course Lane Hudson on the on the on the blue line.
So that's pretty much all the latest in terms of what you need to know ahead of tonight's game against the Boston or between the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadians.
20% swing on the line in terms of making the playoffs.
If the Canadians win, they're up to 86.1%. If they lose in regulation, they're down to 69.5%.
Not a lock for anybody at this point because nobody has clinched the playoffs, but and still a lot to be determined in the Eastern Conference.
It's going to be a huge game. You're going to want to come back tomorrow to hear about all the storylines, the stats and the signals from this game tonight.
And all the latest on the Boston Bruins. So please do subscribe on your favorite podcast app and on YouTube if you have not done so already.
Follow along on socials at locked NHL Bruins and join our every day or club at free episodes and invite to our discord server where we're having a March Madness bracket competition winner gets $100 in locked on March.
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It's all part of the locked on podcast network. Your favorite team every single day. Go Bruins. Enjoy the game. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. We'll talk to you again here on the next episode of locked on Boston Bruins.
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