March 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins center Frazer Minton (93) celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Kings in overtime at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images The Boston Bruins have recorded their 14th straight home win as they host the San Jose Sharks, led by sophomore sensation and former Boston College star Maclean Cellbrini, for a crucial Thursday night game as the two teams battle for the playoffs.
Boston maintained a two-point lead in the second and final Eastern Conference wild-card spot with a 2-1 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, while San Jose used its latest 3-1-2 overtime performance to move within the West’s playoff cutoff line.
With just over a month left in the regular season, games are heating up and points are at a premium.
“It was pretty close to a playoff-style game. There’s not much to it,” Bruins defenseman Mason Lowrey said of Tuesday’s battle with the Kings. “At the end of the day, it’s better to come out tight and up.”
Bruins coach Marco Sturm also made the same claim.
“For us, the playoffs started a long time ago,” he said. “It helps to get these types of games going. It’s not just us. Most of the time, it’s a one-goal game.”
On Tuesday, the Bruins came out thanks to Charlie McAvoy’s overtime win. The game was scoreless after two periods until Lohrei scored 8:22 into the third and the Kings responded with six minutes left in regulation.
McAvoy finished the game as a hero after being hit by Los Angeles’ Samuel Helenus in the second quarter. He avoided serious injury upon his return, although he still needed further dental work after the game.
“Honestly, I wish there were no more hits. I’m tired,” McAvoy said. “Just get some rest and I’ll be better on Thursday. I just have to keep working on this.”
The Sharks earned points in their first four games of March before losing 6-3 to the Buffalo Sabers on Tuesday in the opener of a five-game road trip.
Celebrini has scored in four straight games and currently has a six-game point streak (five goals, four assists), while Alexander Wennberg has a goal and an assist. But it proved to be too much for the Sabers, who have gone on multiple eight-game winning streaks this season.
Finding more scoring will be key for San Jose going forward.
Before Wennberg’s power play goal in the third period in Buffalo, the Sharks went more than eight periods without a goal by anyone other than Celebrini or Kiefer Sherwood.
“We’ve got to play inside, we’ve got to get to the net, we’ve got to get the puck on the net,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsowski said. “This is how you score points this time of year. We’ve talked about it enough.”
Of course, San Jose wouldn’t be in this race without Celebrini, who is just two years removed from his Hobey Baker Award-winning college season in Boston.
Celebrini’s goal on Tuesday was his 90th point of the season, a mark only Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky have achieved faster in one season as teenagers in NHL history. The 19-year-old has scored 33 goals and ranks fifth in the league in points.
“Obviously we know Mack’s skills and (Sherwood) coming in (from the Vancouver Canucks), but it’s a team effort,” Wennberg said. “It depends on everyone on the team. We can’t just rely on those guys to score.”
–Field level media
