TAMPA Archie Manning Jersey , Fla. — The way the schedule lined up, the Tampa Bay Lightning knew they’d be facing the Boston Bruins three times in the final 12 games of the regular season.

And now, having lost the first two games by a combined score of 7-2 and trailing the Bruins in the standings in the final week of the season, there’s much on the line when the teams meet Tuesday night at Amalie Arena.

“It’s going to probably have a big determination of which team comes first, let’s be honest,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of the divisional implications. “We win the game, we’re right back in it. They win it, they’ve probably got it. It’s Game 80, but it’s big Game 80.”

Boston (49-17-12) has picked up points in nine straight games and now has a two-point lead in the standings — with a game in hand — over the Lightning (52-23-4), who led the Atlantic Division most of the season.

Tampa Bay is reeling, having gone 1-4 in its last five and having star Steven Stamkos questionable with a lower-body injury sustained in Saturday’s loss to Nashville.

Boston is 4-0-2 in its last six, and now stands as the only NHL team ranking in the top five in scoring Desmond Trufant Jersey , goals allowed, power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage.

“It’s fun to play together — we have each other’s backs,” Boston’s Torey Krug said after the Bruins rallied from 3-1 down Sunday, getting a tying goal with 3.8 seconds remaining to salvage a point in an overtime loss to Philadelphia. “It doesn’t matter what the time or the score is. It’s good to get that point.”

The Atlantic champion will face a wild card from the other division, either Columbus, Philadelphia or New Jersey, all within a point in the standings.

The runner-up will likely face third-seeded Toronto — the Lightning are 3-1 against the Maple Leafs this season — but it would still mean a tougher playoff path and losing home-ice advantage should they eventually meet the Bruins again.

Boston has won the last two meetings with Tampa Bay on the strength of its special teams. The Bruins have killed off the NHL’s No. 2 power play on six of seven opportunities in the two games, and their power play has converted three of five chances.

Cooper said whether to rest Stamkos this week or keep him on the ice to build momentum for the postseason will depend on his health, but the team has a long-term focus as the playoffs approach.

Beat Boston on Tuesday and their final two games are against non-playoff opponents Buffalo and Carolina for a shot at four points in the final two days of the regular season.

“We need (Stamkos) feeling his best a week and a half from now, and not necessarily right now,” Cooper said. “However, we can help that Amara Darboh Jersey , we will. We want to get better as a team in the next three games. We want to make sure we’re ready as a group.”

On June 7, the Colorado Rockies were tied for first place in the National League West and riding high. In the week since, the Rockies have lost five straight games and come to the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Friday with as many questions as answers about themselves as the season heads into the dog days of summer.

Colorado begins a three-game interleague series with the Texas Rangers, a team also in search of answers, at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

The Rockies will send right-hander Chad Bettis (4-1, 4.40 ERA) to the mound for the opening game and the Rangers will counter with Yohander Mendez (0-0, 0.00).

Colorado activated right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino from the disabled list Thursday, and manager Bud Black said Ottavino would go right back into his late-game role.

Ottavino had a 0.95 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings before going to the disabled with a left oblique injury. The team went 5-9 without him in the lineup.

“Otto feels that he wants to jump right back into the mix of pitching deep in the game,” Black told mlb.com. “He’s ready for that. He doesn’t necessarily want to ease back in. Physically, he made it a point of emphasis to get his body in the best shape possible in the offseason. The year before, it wasn’t the case.”

Ottavino did not see action in the Rockies’ 9-3 loss at Philadelphia but will be ready when Colorado takes on hapless Texas.

The Rangers will attempt to end a six-game losing streak that included a heartbreaking 3-2 loss in 11 innings in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

With one out and the bases loaded Dwayne Allen Jersey , the Dodgers‘ Austin Barnes dribbled what appeared to be a sure out at home in front of Rangers reliever Matt Bush. However, Bush’s throw to home for the force pulled catcher Carlos Perez off the plate, allowing Enrique Hernandez to score the deciding run.

Texas is now a season-worst 18 games back of the first-place Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros in the American League West after suffering a two-game sweep by the Dodgers.

Bettis gave up three home runs and lasted just four innings in his last start, a home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The good news is his velocity returned after a dip for three starts. He is a Lubbock, Texas, native who pitched at Texas Tech University.

Bettis will make his 14th start of the season and his eighth on the road. He has no-decisions and a 7.67 ERA in his past six starts since May 11.

Bettis has pitched against Texas only once, getting a no-decision on Aug. 11, 2016, in Arlington, a 12-9 Rockies win.

Mendez will make his first big league start Friday. In 10 minor league starts this season, he has an 0-6 record with a 5.26 ERA. In one relief appearance with the Rangers this year, he didn’t allow a run in two-thirds of an inning.

Mendez E. J. Manuel Jersey , who is ranked the Rangers’ seventh-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, has joined the ballclub from Triple-A Round Rock. He has been a September call-up for Texas each of the past two seasons, and featured with the Rangers earlier this season when he was called up May 3.

In 10 career major league appearances — all in relief — Mendez has posted a 0-1 record with a 7.31 ERA (13 earned runs in 16 innings).

“It’s going to be multiple starts,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said Wednesday about Mendez’s upcoming major league stint. “He’s going to have the opportunity to show us what he can do as a starter.

“We’re still in the business of winning baseball games,” Banister added. “It’s about development, but it is the big leagues, and you still develop and still give yourself the opportunity to win baseball games.”