(Photo credit: Kim Klement-USA Today Sports)

By Court Lalonde @courtlalonde

With the 2-1 win over the New York Islanders last night, the Boston Bruins find themselves back in a playoff spot. Both of Boston’s goals didn’t come from one of the usual contributors; they came from Riley Nash. It was his sixth and seventh goal of the season, but they couldn’t have come at a better time. The Bruins have been on the outside looking in for a couple of days when it comes to the playoffs. They had lost four in a row up until last night and three of those teams they’re currently fighting for a playoff spot. To say that last night was a must win game is an understatement.

Want to see @rileynash20‘s two-goal night one more time? Here are the highlights from last night’s big win over the Islanders: pic.twitter.com/wJqOAXiHS6 — Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 26, 2017

After the loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night, some fans were ready to stick a fork in this team and write off the season. It was probably the worst game we had seen the Bruins play under intern coach Bruce Cassidy. It looked to me in that game the team decided not to play defense and just hope that Tuukka could bail them out with no help. Every time the Bruins scored the Lightning would answer in a matter of seconds. I will admit that the goal by Anton Stralman on Tuukka wasn’t the nicest looking goal and he should have had that one. It didn’t help that the team once again just let Tampa skate up the ice, but he needed to make that save.

“Those kinds of situations shouldn’t happen.”#NHLBruins can’t hold onto leads in loss to TB. Read Postgame Story: https://t.co/3hLtZV7xbv pic.twitter.com/zfrMqiqPdt — Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 24, 2017

The games earlier in the week against the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maples Leafs were different stories. We all know by now of the terrible call at the end of the game in Toronto, which is when the ref decided he wanted to control the outcome of the game and call interference on Dominic Moore when it was just a hockey play. The biggest concern I had from that game was when Patrice Bergeron was run from behind by Nikita Soshnikov. Not only should that have been a significant penalty but why is the world was Bergeron sticking up for himself. His teammates should be doing that for him, the last thing we need is him in the box.

In the past couple of games, the team had looked like they had lost their identity and were running around like a chicken with their head cut off on the ice. Torey Krug decided to try and be the voice of reason after the loss to Ottawa and made some comments to the media.

“I mean, you’ve seen the way we’ve been playing the last 15 games or so, and it looks like a completely different team,” Krug said. “Frankly, we’re a team that the fans should love to support. I think we work hard.

“It’s not like years past where we’re disappearing. I think right now we’re in every game, and we’re battling and fighting, and we’re sacrificing. I know we haven’t gotten the results the past couple of games, but it’s just a different group. I know we’ve added some young guys that haven’t been around it. But the core group, the leaders are working hard to make sure that we right the ship. And we will do that.” It nice to say things like this but I would like to see the action on the ice from the players.

The win last night was a step in the right direction obviously, but the Bruins don’t have an easy schedule in front of them. After Tuukka had missed last night game, some fans wanted to burn him at stake. What they need to realize is the team needs Tuukka to be at his best to win, and he needs the players in front of him to play better as well. If this team can action the words of Krug, we will make the playoffs but if we’re just going to scoreboard watch to make it, then its just not good enough.