[Updated: 11:00 p.m.] If the those on hand for Saturday’s matinee between the Bruins and Thrashers didn’t appear to be on the edge of their seats at the Garden, it’s because they weren’t. In addition to the fact that the game was a snooze-fest aside from a couple of plays (a Daniel Paille shorthanded beauty and a Michael Ryder slump-breaking penalty shot), the idea of them winning the Division, which they did with the win, wasn’t exactly riveting. 

With five games to play, the Bruins needed just one point (or for the Canadiens to not win all of their remaining games) in order to secure what they were expected to secure all season. Nobody exactly viewed it as a triumph – it was yesterday’s news that though known, had technically yet to be delivered. 

The reaction from the team would suggest that. Johnny Boychuk walked in the Bruins dressing room in a Northeast Division Champions t-shirt and lightheartedly exclaimed, “Boom. What’s up?”

“We didn’t come into this season wanting to win this division. We have a goal, and that’s to win the Stanley Cup,” Brad Marchand said after the game. It’s a stepping stone, and it’s a good accomplishment for a great team. But there’s a long way to go before we accomplish our goal. It’s special, but at the same time we’re a long ways away.”

Players rightfully pointed out after the game that while winning the division means crossing off a goal for the season, the ultimate goal is to have postseason success. When it comes to the proverbial checklist however, there’s more to it than the obvious two. 

In between clinching the division for the second time in three years and hopefully getting out of the second round lays another task to be conquered. With four games remaining, the Bruins shouldn’t be focused on resting as they should be on wresting one of the top two spots in the East from Washington and Philadelphia. After their victory Saturday, the Bruins moved within three points of the Flyers for the top spot in the division, though Washington leap-frogged the Flyers by beating the Sabres in overtime Saturday night. As of Sunday, the B's are four points behind the Capitals with a game in hand, while they are three points behind Philadelphia. Should they finish with the same point total as either team, they would almost certainly hold the tie-breaker (they would likely hold the ROW advantage in such a scenario, and have the better head-to-head record against both teams). 

For the Bruins, getting the top spot wouldn’t just be about bragging rights in the conference. Like any team, they believe that they can go far regardless of standing. What makes a potential top seed so appetizing is the slim chance of escaping the three-headed monster of undesirable opponents lurking in the six, seven, and eight spots. If the Bruins and a certain opponent team from Raleigh could both gain ground over the rest of the season, any reason to worry in the first round could subside significantly. 

After the Bruins’ win Saturday (and prior to the night games), the teams slotted sixth through eighth in the division were as follows: Montreal, Buffalo and the Rangers. That, as they say, is not a good look for the Bruins. The B’s went 2-3-1 against the Canadiens this season, and after winning their first two against Buffalo, have 0-2-2 since. The Rangers have taken two of three from the B’s, with the season series finale to be played Monday. 

So how do the Bruins avoid having to play one of those three teams? There is no way they can face the Penguins in the first round, and there is virtually no shot that the Canadiens can gain six points on the Lightning in the next four games (the Lightning have five left) to drop Tampa Bay to the No. 1 spot. Instead, Bruins would have to hope the Hurricanes, like them, can gain some points on the teams ahead of them in the standings. After Saturday's win, Carolina is one point out of eighth place and two points out of seventh. If they can grab either spot and the Bruins end up matching up against them, they would face a far less intimidating matchup against a team they beat three times in four tries this season. The Bruins can do their part to get to an easier road by not relenting over their last four. 

“We talked about that in between periods,” Marchand, who felt a top seed would be “huge,” said. “We know that standings aren't set yet. We want to do whatever we can to catch that first place. We're going to battle every game from here on out. We do have a chance at catching them so we're going to try."

Claude Julien’s No. 1 priority is to make sure his team is ready for the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean the Bruins are viewing this as a time to rest up. They can rest after the season, and if finishing strong means a better shot at postseason success, the extra work now would be worth it.