Boston Bruins: 5 Most Important Games Left on the Schedule

The Boston Bruins have a slim lead in the Northeast Division over the Ottawa Senators heading into Monday's battle with the rival Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Bruins are 5-6 in March but still have time to right the ship and get on track before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin on April 11.

Let's look at the five most important games for the Bruins before they begin their quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

Saturday, March 24 at Los Angeles Kings

When the Bruins travel to Los Angeles to play the Kings this weekend they will be facing a team fighting for its playoff lives, meaning that Boston will have to bring it's "A-game" or things could get out of hand early.

The two teams met once before this season on December 13 in Boston, a game in which the Bruins won 3-0. However, the Kings are playing much better since then, and added star center Jeff Carter at the trade deadline last month to bolster their offense.

With star goaltender Jonathan Quick having a Vezina Trophy-caliber season, expect the Kings to be a difficult opponent for the Bruins.

Thursday, March 29 vs. Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals are another team fighting for the playoffs. After a disappointing season, the Capitals are making a desperate push for the Southeast Division title or the eighth spot.

The two teams last met on March 10, when the Capitals held off a third-period rally by the Bruins to hold on for a 4-3 win in Boston.

With star forwards Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin always a threat to score and make plays offensively, the Bruins must play well defensively against the Capitals.

Sunday, April 1 at New York Rangers

If the Bruins are to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, they will likely see the New York Rangers in their way at some point during the playoffs.

Over the past few season, the Bruins' record against the Rangers is awful, and this year is no exception. Boston is 0-3 against the Blueshirts this season, and their battle on April Fool's Day is the last regular-season meeting between these two teams.

A win for the Bruins against the Rangers would be huge for their confidence heading into the playoffs.

With the Rangers fighting off the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Atlantic Division lead and the Eastern Conference's top seed, don't expect New York to be resting players in this late-season battle with Boston.

Tuesday, April 3 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Bruins are 0-2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in their last two meetings this season, and are 1-2 overall.

The final matchup will be in Boston in the Bruins' third-to-last game of the regular season. Not only will this game be crucial to the Bruins' playoff seeding position and Northeast Division title chances, Boston needs to show the Penguins they can defeat them in important games.

With star center Sidney Crosby finally back in the lineup after battling injury, Pittsburgh is one of the three best teams in the NHL.

Against star forwards such as Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, the Penguins will be a real challenge for the Bruins in early April.

It's also very possible that these two teams meet in the second round of the playoffs.

Thursday, April 5 at Ottawa Senators

The Senators and Bruins will battle for the Northeast Division crown right up until the final day of the season, with the winner of the division likely earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, with the second-place team likely earning the No. 7 seed.

Boston proved last year how important home ice was to them, evidenced by their two Game 7 wins at home in the first round against the Montreal Canadiens and the East Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This is the final regular-season matchup between these two teams, and it could have massive division title implications. 

The Senators won the most recent meeting on February 28 in a 1-0 win in Boston.