The Boston Bruins led the lowly New Jersey Devils 2-0 after the first period of last night's game in Newark.
It felt as if Boston was on their way to a much-needed regulation victory. Then, the bottom fell out in the second period. New Jersey dominated play, tied the game, and kept pushing in the third period, taking a 3-2 lead.
If not for the individual brilliance of David Pastrnak, the Bruins likely would have lost in regulation last night.
Instead, they collected a loser point in overtime after Paul Cotter won it for New Jersey.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings beat the Calgary Flames and jumped right back over the Bruins in the standings.
It's a damaging loss, one that moves the Bruins from favored to make the playoffs, to now being projected to finish outside the line.
Moneypuck.com gives Boston the ninth-best odds to make the playoffs. The consensus is that last night moved Boston from favored to dance, to now looking at draft boards.
Still, Boston's within two points of tonight's opponent, the Montreal Canadiens.
But, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators continue to close in on the playoff cut line. Three points separate Ottawa from Boston, and just one separates Boston and Columbus. Ottawa and Columbus hold one game in hand.
The Bruins play three games in the next five days.
They could still finish the week safely in third place. They could also finish the week in 10th place, on the wrong side of the playoff line.
To say the stakes are large would be putting it mildly.
The Bruins are in Montreal to face the Canadiens tonight. The Canadiens had last night off, and are looking to bounce back after they lost two in a row on home ice this past weekend.
48 hours later, Boston hosts the red-hot Winnipeg Jets (6-2-0 in last eight games, with wins over Tampa Bay and Colorado).
Then, in perhaps the biggest game of the week, the Bruins take on the Red Wings Saturday night. A prime-time game, on ABC/national television, a game that will have major implications for the playoff race.
It really doesn't get any better than that.
Boston simply has to get a result of some kind tonight. They cannot afford a regulation loss, and if that's the result, all Columbus would need is one point from the Carolina Hurricanes to leapfrog them in the standings.
Boston only has one head-to-head game with the likes of Detroit, Montreal, and Columbus left. They don't play Ottawa again.
Starting with wins against Detroit and Montreal this week will invariably take some pressure off the deeper it goes.
The action continues tonight, on St. Patrick's Day, with puck drop coming just after 7 o'clock.