The Bruins saw their four-game win streak come to a close on Tuesday night at TD Garden, with Boston unable to withstand the Hurricanes en route to a 4-1 loss.
It was a frustrating result, considering the strong returns that the Bruins put together over the last few weeks against several playoff foes. It also represented a missed opportunity in the standings for Boston.
The best avenue for Boston when it comes to avoiding a first-round matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning lies in leapfrogging the top-seeded Rangers in the Eastern Conference.
The Rangers fell to the Islanders on Tuesday, but Boston was unable to make up any ground due to Tuesday’s loss against Carolina.