The Boston Bruins are headed to the 2026 NHL Playoffs. This comes despite a 2-1 loss earlier this afternoon to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Bruins currently sit in the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Ottawa Senators passing them in the standings.
Ottawa's victory was half the puzzle. They shut out the New York Islanders, 3-0, this afternoon.
The other piece just went final, with the New Jersey Devils defeating the Detroit Red Wings 5-3, eliminating Detroit and locking up a spot for both Boston and Ottawa.
The Bruins can now rest as they see fit, with no more stress about making the playoffs.
They play tomorrow against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where they recently erased a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3.
Boston's lost five straight games, and desperately needs to stop the skid, especially with playoffs now officially on deck.
But, for now, the vibes are good. This team proved the vast majority of pundits and experts wrong, coming from a sub-15% chance preseason all the way into the dance.
Their opponent remains to be determined, with the Carolina Hurricanes the likeliest outcome as of Saturday night.