Tuukka Rask

Thursday's 3-2 Flyers loss to the Bruins was one final game in a calendar year that has been as frustrating and disappointing as ever. Another loss in regulation brought the team’s current losing streak to six, and put a fitting conclusion to a 365-day period to forget.

David Pastrnak scored his 11th career hat trick and third against the Flyers, as the Bruins held on for a 3-2 win at TD Garden, marking the sixth straight loss for the Flyers. 

This is a game with two teams going in opposite directions. The Flyers have lost five straight games going back to Dec. 30. The Bruins are fresh off a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night and have won five of their last six games since New Year's Day.

With a shorthanded lineup once again, the Bruins got another late second-period goal that started the unraveling. This time, it didn't even take until the third. Three goals for the Bruins in 1:39 capped off a four-goal period, as the Flyers were routed in the outdoor game at Lake Tahoe by a score of 7-3 on Sunday night.

For the Flyers, the Bruins have been a thorn in the side for the entire season, handing them four losses so far. The road doesn't get any easier as the Flyers head into this outdoor game in Lake Tahoe with a still shorthanded lineup.

Perhaps the biggest moment though was the return to the lineup of a player the Flyers had desperately needed to get back, and while his presence didn’t solve all of their problems, it did help them get back in the win column. Here are five takeaways from Sunday’s 7-4 win over the Capitals.

The Bruins scored twice in 27 seconds, including the eventual game-winner from Sean Kuraly, as they claimed yet another win from the Flyers by a score of 2-1 on Friday night at Wells Fargo Center.

The stage is set for Friday night at Wells Fargo Center, when the Flyers and Bruins meet again for the fourth time this season already. After going 0-1-2 in the first three, the Flyers are looking to get back on the right side of the results. Game time is at 7 p.m.

David Pastrnak had a hat trick, scoring his third with 14.9 seconds left in the third to tie the game, then set up Patrice Bergeron for the win in overtime to hand the Flyers a 4-3 loss on Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Center.

Facing the Bruins again should be another test for the Flyers. Boston sits one point behind the Flyers in the standings with a 6-1-2 record in nine games. Game time is 8 p.m.