The Boston Bruins lost last night, but they picked up a crucial point.
The point is even more crucial when you consider the playoff picture and what other results happened last night. However, the loss washed away the significance of both Morgan Geekie’s hat trick and Joonas Korpisalo’s relief performance.
Around the Eastern Conference, the Senators, Flyers, and Blue Jackets picked up wins last night. With that, playoff odds shift and positions change. The playoffs are right around the corner; no team in the Eastern Conference race has more than four games left.
The Senators and Flyers each made progress toward locking up their spot, both picking up big wins within their divisions.
In the West, the Avalanche clinched the conference title, and the first playoff series has been confirmed.
There’s also an “invasive” 𝕏/Twitter account that has been following the NHL players around on Instagram.
Happy Wednesday, catch up on Bruins and league news in today’s Daily Bean:
Boston Bruins
BRUINS LOSE: The Boston Bruins (43-26-10) lost last night, 6-5 to the Carolina Hurricanes (50-22-6). Morgan Geekie scored his first goal since March 5, and he did not just score one; he scored his second career hat trick.
BREAK APART: Unfortunately, Geekie’s hat trick was not enough. Neither was Joonas Korpisalo’s stellar performance after he entered the game in the second period. Marco Sturm said he needed a spark; he got one, but the one shot that beat Korpisalo lost the game.
It was a crucial point for the Bruins, though, and they echoed that after the game. Their playoff odds are up to 98.8% according to MoneyPuck. Their magic number is two, according to Hockey Magic Numbers.
They do not play until Saturday.
Boston Bruins (video via YouTube): Here is Morgan Geekie’s second career hat-trick, which came in one of his old home rinks.
Boston Bruins via 𝕏: Charlie McAvoy was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is given annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport.
Charlie McAvoy has been nominated for the 2026 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. This award is given yearly to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
Congratulations, Charlie!
📰: https://t.co/YUEP0jexOf pic.twitter.com/Z63GlTFm66
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 8, 2026
ICYMI: TD GARDEN APP: The Bruins announced an update to the TD Garden app a few days ago. Check it out for a one-stop shop for everything Bruins + TD Garden, including live game updates, news, tickets, parking passes, a mobile wallet, the ProShop, and Behind the B, all in the app.
Download (or update) the app for a chance to win tickets to the Bruins’ final home game of the season on April 14 against New Jersey.
NHL News & National Hockey Now
Carolina Hockey Now: For the other side of coverage from last night’s game, check out Rachel Barkley’s work. The Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division as soon as the game went to overtime. It was the Canes’ last home game of the year, and they ended it on a high note.
Ottawa Hockey Now: The Senators took down the Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning last night, on the backs of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and Jake Sanderson. It is back-to-back six-goal showings for the Senators.
Detroit Hockey Now: The Columbus Blue Jackets picked up a shootout win in Detroit last night, which dampened the Red Wings’ playoff chances. Bob Duff has the locker room reaction from Detroit.
The Blue Jackets are six points behind the Bruins with four games remaining. They have 27 regulation wins to the Bruins 31.
Montreal Hockey Now: The Canadiens are back in the win column, and they are now sitting with the Lightning and Sabres at 102 points. They took down the Florida Panthers in a shootout, 4-3, with Cole Caufield scoring the shootout winner.
Philly Hockey Now: The Flyers went to Newark and stomped on the New Jersey Devils, which eliminated New Jersey from playoff competition. Trevor Zegras and Tyson Foerster each scored twice, and with the win, the Flyers’ playoff odds increased.
STANDINGS (playoff odds per MoneyPuck):
Atlantic:
x – Lightning – 102 points, 4 games remaining, clinched
x – Sabres – 102 points, 4 games remaining, clinched
x – Canadiens – 102 points, 4 games remaining, clinched
Metropolitan:
y – Hurricanes – 106 points, 4 games remaining, division clinched
Penguins – 96 points, 4 games remaining, 99.8% odds
Flyers – 92 points, 4 games remaining, 60.3% odds
Wild Card:
Bruins – 96 points, 3 games remaining, 98.8% odds
Senators – 92 points, 4 games remaining, 82.7% odds
Blue Jackets – 90 points, 4 games remaining, 29.6% odds
Red Wings – 89 points, 4 games remaining, 6.3% odds
Islanders – 89 points, 4 games remaining, 19.4% odds
Colorado Hockey Now: The Avalanche clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last night in a 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. They are now 51-16-10 with five games remaining, and they are seven points away from their franchise record. Aarif Deen has more on the Avs win.
NHL News via 𝕏: With the Avalanche clinching the No. 1 seed in the West, the first playoff matchup has been locked in. Dallas will face Minnesota.
It’s a shame one of these teams will be out after the first round.
The Athletic ($): There is an account on 𝕏 that tracks the Instagram movements of NHL players (@NHLFollowTrack). The players know about it. Olen Zellweger went viral for it after Team USA shut down Team Canada in the gold medal game; he unfollowed some USA players. Troy Stetcher called it “invasive” after saying “the whole league knows about it.”
Today’s NHL Schedule
Sabres at Rangers – 7:00 PM (US: TNT, HBO Max)
Capitals at Maple Leafs – 7:30 PM (CA: SN)
Oilers at Sharks – 10:00 PM (US: TNT, HBO Max)
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