The Bruins don't have to worry about their biggest obstacle of the last few years, the Tampa Bay Lightning, until the third round of the playoffs at the earliest this season thanks to realignment.
But it looks like they've found a new boogeyman in the East Division: The New York Islanders.
The Bruins have lost just four games in regulation this season, and three of them have come against the Islanders. They're now 0-3 against this new roadblock and have been outscored 12-4 in those three games.
On Thursday night, the Islanders did something no one had done yet this season: They embarrassed the Bruins. They scored five goals in the third period, turning a 2-2 competitive game into a 7-2 laughingstock.
It was all a reminder that no matter where the Islanders are in the standings (right now they're fourth in the division on points percentage), they're clearly the East foe that presents the worst matchup for the Bruins as of right now.
There are reasons for that. They're the team that most resembles the Bruins in terms of being defense-first, and in their head-to-head meetings, the Islanders have beaten the Bruins at their own game.
The Bruins have been able to score against other playoff contenders like the Flyers, Capitals and Penguins because those teams all have defensive and/or goaltending issues. They have been able to come back against those teams when needed because those teams are sloppy and will give you chances to do so. They have been able to dominate third periods against them because those teams don't know how to clamp down and close out games.
In those games, the Bruins have been the team that makes fewer mistakes and takes advantage of their opponents' mistakes.
Against the Islanders, it's been the exact opposite. With coach Barry Trotz' typically stellar defensive system in place and Semyon Varlamov playing at a Vezina Trophy level in goal, the Islanders haven't been giving away goals.
Instead, the Bruins have been the team making those mistakes in this matchup. On Thursday, Brandon Carlo failed to clear away a rebound on the Islanders' first goal. Connor Clifton got caught too far wide on the second, giving the dangerous Mat Barzal a two-on-one.
The Bruins were still in it going into the third, but then Trent Frederic got caught standing still right in front of his own net, opening the door for Anthony Beauvillier to pick his pocket and make it 3-2 New York.
Normally, there wouldn't be any panic in this year's Bruins being down a goal with more than half a period to go. There seemed to be some there Thursday, though.
Either consciously or subconsciously, the Bruins seemed to turn to desperation, knowing that coming back from even one goal down against the team with the best third-period defense in the NHL would be an immense challenge.
Charlie McAvoy has been a catalyst for some of the Bruins' comebacks this season with his ability to jump into the offense, and has generally been very good about when to go and when to hold back, but on Thursday his aggressiveness crossed the line into poor decision-making, as his ill-timed pinches led to odd-man rushes the other way on the Islanders' fourth and fifth goals.
The Islanders are the kind of team that can win in the playoffs even if they don't necessarily have one of the best records, because their tight-checking, mistake-free play translates well and gives them a chance against more talented teams. They proved that last year when they reached the Eastern Conference finals.
The Bruins have five more regular-season meetings to figure out how they need to play against New York. They're going to need to work harder to create chances and not just wait for mistakes that may never come. They're going to need to tighten up their own defense and realize that one or two mistakes might be all the Islanders need. And they're going to need to get a lead and not put themselves in the position of having to come from behind against a team that simply doesn't give up third-period goals.
Until they're able to do that, their new boogeyman will loom over them.
