The Bruins will try to move closer to securing home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference First Round with a victory against the Senators, who could be their opponent in that series. Boston will be without its leading scorer, forward Brad Marchand, who will serve the first of a two-game suspension issued by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Thursday for spearing Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jake Dotchin on Tuesday. Marchand will finish the regular season with 39 goals, 46 assists and 85 points, each an NHL career high. Boston is 11-3-0 in its past 14 games at TD Garden and 23-16-0 at home this season. "It's a big difference if you play those deciding games at home or on the road," defenseman Zdeno Chara said. "It's something that gives us motivation to still play for something that's important, especially at this time of the year. With a few games left in the season, you want to make sure you continue to play a certain way and you get ready for the playoffs. You don't get complacent." The Bruins have been outscored 10-5 in losing all three games against the Senators this season. "When you play a team the number of times we have in our division, you obviously want to get your share of wins against them," coach Bruce Cassidy said, "but it's more about how we're playing right now, how we're playing to our standard, continue our winning ways going into the playoffs." Forward David Backes will play his 800th NHL game.
