Interim coach Joe Sacco gestures toward officials during the Bruins’ 6-2 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday in Boston. Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Considering the Bruins’ tenuous position in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket and the number teams making a push to return to the postseason after long absences, every game in the near future is a big one for Boston.

And Saturday’s tilt against the Senators in Ottawa is certainly pivotal.

Just one point behind the Bruins with two games in hand, the Senators have the vibes of a fresh, up-and-coming team. They have not made the postseason since 2017 and are winning by keeping the puck out of their net, allowing 2.71 goals against per game.

Knocking on the door along with Ottawa are perennial Atlantic Division also-rans Montreal and Detroit. Also in the Eastern Conference mix are the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hopped over the Bruins in the standings on Thursday and are everyone’s sentimental favorite in this surprise run after the Johnny Gaudreau tragedy last summer.

That’s a lot teams the Bruins must contend with, but coach Joe Sacco said it’s imperative that the team stays focused on the day-to-day process and not any outside narratives.

“I don’t think that we can look at it like we’re disappointed at the position we’re in and other teams are excited of the position that they’re in,” said Sacco on Friday. “This is a tough league and there’s a lot of parity in the league right now, especially in the Eastern Conference. So for us, we don’t look at it like that. We’re in a position that we put ourselves in and it’s our job, our responsibility to keep forging ahead and making sure we’re executing at high level so that we give ourselves a chance. It’s too much to look ahead. We have Ottawa coming up on Saturday. It’s a big game.”

Meanwhile, the Bruins, despite two straight wins against divisional opponents Tampa Bay and Florida, are grappling with the hard realities of their situation. After eight straight postseason appearances, disappointing early returns had team president Cam Neely stating on Wednesday that the club has to proceed with “two paths” in mind, one as buyers and one as sellers.

It’s been a while since a playoff berth has not been a given for the Bruins, who are in the eighth and final playoff spot.

“You can never forget that it’s extremely hard in this league,” said Bruins captain Brad Marchand. “You can’t get caught up in thinking that where you place in the standings is the be all and end all. At the end of the day, any team in the playoffs can win and you just have to get in there. But when you’re at the bottom, you open the door for teams catching you and pushing you out.”

MARK KASTELIC APPEARS ready to make his return to the lineup to play his old team, barring any setbacks from the head injury he suffered in Tampa on Jan. 9. He went through Friday’s full practice session without any immediate ill effects.

“It would be really special,” said Kastelic of his possible first game in Ottawa. “You don’t want to rush these things but that was kind of in the back of my mind. I was just trying feel as best as I could for that. If I get in (Saturday) I’ll be really excited to be back in Ottawa and just be back with the boys.”