The Boston Bruins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins] suffered a tough 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks] on Thursday night. After being down 4-0 in the third period, the Bruins scored two late goals, but it was not enough for them to bounce back from their rough start to the contest. With this loss, the Bruins' home winning streak came to an end at 13 games. However, the Black and Gold also squandered a golden opportunity in the process. Had the Bruins defeated the Sharks, they would have jumped up to the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and moved ahead of the Detroit Red Wings. However, with their loss to the Sharks, the Bruins still hold the second wild card. They also remain only one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Given how tight the Eastern Conference playoff race is, the Bruins can't afford to have too many losses like this. This is especially the case when it comes to clubs that are below them in the NHL standings, like the Sharks. Alas, the Bruins now must look to bounce back in their next matchup against the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon. This is an important matchup, as the Capitals are just five points behind the Bruins in the standings. If the Capitals defeat the Bruins in regulation, they would be just three points behind them. Yet, the Bruins winning in regulation would put them seven points ahead of the Caps, so this is a big contest for the Black and Gold.
