The Boston Bruins are heading back to TD Garden with one goal in mind: keep their playoff hopes alive. After a devastating 6-1 loss at home in Game 4 that put them in a 3-1 series hole against the Buffalo Sabres, the Bruins showed their resilience with a strong road performance in Game 5 to force a decisive Game 6 on Friday night.

Forward Mark Kastelic summed up the team's mindset perfectly, acknowledging the sting of their last home game while focusing on the opportunity ahead. "Everyone knows kind of what happened the last time we were home, and nobody was happy with the result," Kastelic said Thursday. "It's a great opportunity now to try to rewrite the script a little bit. There are a lot of different motivating factors – we want to keep playing hockey, too."

The Bruins are no strangers to pressure situations, and defenseman Nikita Zadorov is embracing the challenge. "We are a confident group, and we always have a belief in that," Zadorov said. "That's why we're in the spot where we're at right now. Same mentality as last game. Our backs are against the wall. It is do or die for us. We are excited to go out there and leave everything on the ice."

With the series shifting back to Boston, the Bruins will look to feed off the energy of their home crowd and channel the momentum from their Game 5 victory. Puck drop is set for Friday night at 7:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden, where Boston will aim to force a Game 7 and keep their season alive.