Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, top second from right, talks to his team during a timeout in the third period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Friday at TD Garden. Game 4 is today at 12:30 p.m., (AP photo)

The NHL playoffs are missing the close games and comebacks that seemingly come annually with all the postseason intensity.

Excluding games with empty-netters increasing the margin, 10 of the 20 first-round games through Friday night have been decided by three or more goals. By comparison, there had been only four one-goal games with two reaching at least one overtime session.

The Boston Bruins made that an exception on Friday night as they won 4-2 to get back into their first round series with Carolina. They hope to win in whatever way they can today in Game 4 at 12:30 p.m. at TD Garden.

Along the way, comebacks have been almost non-existent with teams that jump out rarely surrendering control. That’s been the case in all three games of this series as Carolina and Boston are managing injury concerns.

The Hurricanes lost winger Jordan Martinook to a lower-body injury in Friday’s Game 3 loss. Martinook’s injury could open a spot for veteran Derek Stepan with 106 career playoff games on his resume.

“Obviously it’s probably not an ideal situation but it’s an opportunity for me,” Stepan said.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour said the Hurricanes will also look at whether to start Antti Raanta in net for Game 4. He was knocked early from Game 2 after taking a blow to the head from Boston’s David Pastrnak, with rookie Pyotr Kochetkov taking over that game and starting Game 3.

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said defenseman Hampus Lindholm is improving but will miss his second straight game after taking a jarring hit from Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov in Game 2.

Jeremy Swayman is expected to get his second start in goal today.

“We’re still behind,” Cassidy said Saturday. “We need to know we need to continue to get better to get a win (in Game 4). That’s the way I look at it.”