Get out your pencil and circle the 18 games left in the regular season in the should-get-two-points variety. Seven are against teams currently not among the top eight in each conference.

Starting with the New Jersey Devils, languishing at third-worst in the Eastern Conference into Saturday night’s encounter at TD Garden. The Devils, however, no slouches when it comes to taking on Boston. The first game of 2017 was in Newark – two points lost by the Bruins in the in the 3-0 stinker on January 2. Way back on October 20, the Bruins eked out a 2-1 win on home ice. Two goals or fewer, including 10 one-goal decisions, have decided 12 of the last 15 games between these two.

Forty-eight hours hence a big four-point affair at Ottawa, sitting one notch above Boston in the Atlantic Division. Tuukka Rask on the pine Saturday night in preparation for that encounter.

Anton Khudobin (3-5-1, 2.84 GAA,) vs. Marblehead native and former Boston College Eagle Corey Schneider (19-19-10, 2.64 GAA). Khudobin 2-2-0 in five career games against the Devils; Schneider 2-4-2 with a 2.37 GAA in eight career games against the Bruins.

After Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Rangers, the Bruins looking to get back on the offense after scoring four or more goals in 10 of their previous 14 games and six of nine under Bruce Cassidy. Not to mention adding a little daylight to their home record of 16-14-0.

The Bruins’ penalty kill, ranked first in the league, should help to keep the anemic Devils off the board on the man-advantage, while New Jersey sports the distinction of the lowest goal total in the Eastern Conference at 145 and a highest goal differential at minus-36.

Saturday night notes: Brad Marchand riding a four-game point streak with eight points during the stretch. Newcomer Drew Stafford making his debut after 40 games with Winnipeg and13 points – in 707 career NHL games, compiling 179 goals and 213 assists for 392 points and 375 penalty minutes. Matt Beleskey and Jimmy Hayes – $6 million combined salary – watching from Level 9.

Here’s what we learned as Boston took two big points in the 3-2 win.

B’s come out flying – again

Replicating Thursday night’s fast start with missed opportunities that came back to haunt in the 2-1 loss, Peter Cehlarik hit the post five minutes in. David Krejci in the slot at the 14-minute mark; Stafford a backhand bid a minute later. Riley Nash dead on at 16 minutes; Schneider denying all bids in the lopsided 16-5 shot totals. Thursday night it was 13-2 vs. Henrik Lundqvist.

The Bruins were lucky to escape at 0-0 when Devante Smith-Pelly shot one wide of Khudobin on the receiving end of a 2-on-1 with two minutes left.

Devils and Bruins trade special teams goals before Carlo puts B’s ahead

“I feel like it’s bringing extra confidence to us.”#NHLBruins D-men have put up 25 points in the past 10 games: https://t.co/gx1rajv1gv pic.twitter.com/yqHvsud6s3

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 5, 2017

The Bruins went on the power play two minutes into the second period to no avail. At 6:18, however, with the second man-advantage, and after Patrice Bergeron failed on a one-timer, the rebound came to Torey Krug who wasted no time in depositing his sixth of the year with 15-foot blast past Schneider at 7:06. It was his 11th point in his last 11 games; David Pastrnak and Bergeron assisting.

A Ben Lovejoy blast past Khudobin was negated on a coincidental split-second delayed penalty on New Jersey to give Boston its third power play in the first 10 minutes. Stafford pushed one by Schneider in a goalmouth scrum at 10:21, but a goaltender interference challenge by Jersey coach John Hynes stood up to deny a first-game goal by the newest Bruin.

Shorthanded with Kevan Miller in the box, Smith-Pelly did not disappoint on his second bid when he turned Krug inside out along the center-ice dasher to go solo on Khudobin, slipping the backhander home at 11:48.

One of Cassidy’s changes – and challenges – is to get the defense going to the net. With less than two minutes left in the period, a Bruins’ rush resulted in Brandon Carlo taking the puck from his blue line to the net; his backhand shot squirting by Schneider for his sixth of the year at 18:25. Bergeron assisting. It was also Carlo’s first career goal at TD Garden, and ninth by a defenseman in Cassidy’s 10th game as head coach.

“Offensively they’re doing what they’ve been asked or within the parameters of our team allowed,” Cassidy said his defensemen creating offense.

“We want them supporting the rush. Like Carlo’s example – he’s just up. Torey’s is a power play goal – we expect him to get his and I think we had a couple of other good looks. They’re not reluctant now. Every player, whether you’re a defensive defenseman, at some point probably was a kid growing up that scored or created some offense in juniors and sometimes you have to change roles. So I think they enjoy it. We build it into our practice and I think that’s where it starts. If you build it into your practice, it becomes a habit and then you reinforce it during games.”

26-0-2 when leading into the final 20

The GWG 🚨 pic.twitter.com/tv17dH95ju

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 5, 2017

Make that 27-0-2.

Off an expired penalty, the Devils took a 2-on-1 to Khudobin early in the third but misfired on the pass for the open net. They would not miss at 5:51 when Kyle Palmieri converted a second 2-on-1 to the open net.

The siren that ends each period and the game interrupted the early flow when it sounded twice within a minute at 5:30 and 6:36.

“Yeah, the horn,” Cassidy said, “it was an interesting night. The horn going off, I saw the wave for the first time in a long time here tonight so that was interesting.”

At 7:18, Frank Vatrano sent a centering pass from the corner to Stafford who shipped it over to Ryan Spooner with more daylight than next Sunday, beating Schneider for the lead goal – and Stafford’s first point as a Bruin.

And good for the game’s No. 1 star.

“He’s an experienced veteran player so he knows the league,” Cassidy said about his new charge. “He seemed to fit in very well with the line that he was on and the power play group he got spotted into.”

“I was able to get settled in here for a day and a half,” Stafford said. “So, it was still kind of a quick turnaround to jump in. But, the boys have been great; very supportive – the coaching staff, everybody.”

The Bruins continued their best-in-the-NHL shot advantage with a final tally of 40-17.

Two big points Monday night

“It’s kind of a reputation identity that we’re trying to build,” Cassidy said about the team’s good starts and consistent play. “We’re going to be on time. We’re going to be on time every night when the puck drops and with our initiating play. It’s a simple kind of phrase we use, but let’s be on time. And so far so good.”

Ottawa. Monday. Two points ahead of Boston with two games in hand.

Be on time.