Your opinion of Tuesday’s head-to-head between the Bruins and Kings almost certainly came back down to how the end result benefitted your team.

A Bruins loss and that would’ve been one of the uglier contests, and more maddening end results, of the year. From the undeniable low-event hockey in the opening 40 to countless missed shots, you’d probably wake up on Wednesday still hearing the echoing of all the shots that slammed into the glass behind the net opposed to the net itself. (More so if you’re a Kings fan.)

But with an overtime win, sealed less than two minutes in, the Bruins instead kept pace in an Eastern Conference playoff race that refuses to let up. And for the Bruins, who allowed a season-low 15 shots on the way to victory, it was an eye-opening reminder as to how they have to play down the stretch.

“That’s the way we have to play,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said following the vicgtory. “I’ve tried to explain to the guys, this is playoff hockey right here. From now on, it’s just gonna be that for the whole month. And it’s good for us to see it, how you have to play those kind of games. And if you look at the goal we scored, it’s a shitty goal. But they’re not pretty anymore. It’s more shots going to the net, have a good screen, stick with the structure and details.

“That, for me, is playoff hockey. And the guys today did an outstanding job.” 

Here’s a look at the 985TheSportsHub.com 3 Stars of the game…

3rd Star: Mark Kastelic

Mar 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Bruins center Mark Kastelic (47) shoots the puck while Los Angeles Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin (2) defends at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images)

The Bruins put Mark Kastelic on the ice in overtime to essentially win a faceoff and then get the hell off the ice. But Kastelic decided to pull something new out of his bag of overtime tricks Tuesday night, as he came through with the from-downtown pass that ultimately led to the Charlie McAvoy game-winning goal.

In addition to the assist on the overtime goal, Kastelic finished this contest with a shot, a block, and three hits in 13:01 of time on ice.

Kastelic was also a key piece of a Boston fourth line with Tanner Jeannot and Sean Kuraly that outright dominated in this game, too, with a 14-4 shot attempt advantage and 5-0 shot advantage in their 7:58 of five-on-five deployment. 

2nd Star: Jeremy Swayman

Mar 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Kings center Scott Laughton (21) skates in alone on Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images)

Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman was a weird bounce off a skate away from a 15-save shutout in this contest. And even though Drew Doughty’s seeing-eye shot denied Swayman what would’ve been his second shutout of the season, the 27-year-old Swayman still provided plenty of big-time stops for the B’s.

As the Kings jammed and jammed away in front of the Boston net all game long, Swayman certainly looked at his best from LA’s countless in-tight looks, and was even chatting the Kings up as they stormed his crease. In addition to some big-time stops on Artemi Panarin in the third period, Swayman also had a fantastic save on a Scott Laughton shorthanded breakaway in the middle frame.

“He’s been there at the key moments, and that’s what I love about him,” Sturm said of Swayman. “Very happy with his performance all year long.”

1st Star: Charlie McAvoy

Mar 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) and Kings right wing Jared Wright (53) follow the play at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images)

If Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy opted out of a return to play last night after suffering yet another facial injury, nobody could’ve blamed him. It’s been that kind of season for the Black and Gold’s top defenseman, and at a certain point, enough is enough and it’s time to get in the chair and get it all over with.

But McAvoy decided to return — and return with a bang — with the overtime winner for the B’s despite being down even more teeth.

After the game, with a bloody mouth and in need of more emergency dental work, McAvoy held his postgame availability to just two questions and admitted that he’d prefer if the hits would stop coming.