Still smarting from one of the worst periods in franchise history Tuesday, the Kings must now confront the top team in the NHL this season.

How good have the Boston Bruins been? They have the highest point total, best points percentage, top goal differential, lowest goals-against average and No. 1 penalty kill in the league. They also rank second in goals per game, second in faceoff percentage and third in power-play conversion rate.

And how bad were the Kings in Buffalo? A theretofore scoreless game was blown open in the final 20 minutes with six goals. The Kings outshot the Sabres 16-3 in the first frame but unraveled completely in the closing stanza, in which they took three penalties, each of which led to a power-play goal allowed. That was the seventh time this season in which their 28th-place penalty kill has surrendered multiple goals.

“We didn’t have it in the third. We gave up six goals in the third period, five of them came after the 10-minute mark, that’ll tell you enough,” said Kings coach Todd McLellan, who also expressed disappointment at the volume, timing and location of those penalties.

Tuesday marked the 16th occasion in franchise history, which dates to 1967, that the Kings ceded six or more goals in a period. It was their sixth such farce in a third period. Only three times have the Kings given up more goals in a period, two of which were third periods, with the last such instance occurring Oct. 17, 1988, against the Calgary Flames, who went on to become Stanley Cup champions.

The Kings will need to reverse course and reverse a trend against this year’s early Cup favorite. Top competition hasn’t exactly motivated the Kings to elevate their game. They have won just five of 15 games this season against franchises that are currently in a playoff spot, compiling a 5-8-2 record. That mark doesn’t improve when including the top bubble team in each conference since the Kings have lost to both Calgary and the Washington Capitals already this season.

Their .400 points percentage against organizations occupying playoff spots is only marginally worse than the .408 clip they posted against postseason qualifiers last season, including splitting two meetings with Boston, one a 3-2 win and the other a 7-0 humiliation. However, the 2021-22 Kings dropped nine of their first 11 games against playoff teams over their first 30 outings, and then went a more respectable 12-10-3 the rest of the way.

Yet only seven of their final 20 games were played against playoff contenders (they won just two of those) and none of their final six games were against competitive clubs (they captured five wins and points in all six matches to secure a playoff berth).

This season, they’ll face Pacific Division-leading Vegas, defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado and 2022 conference finalist Edmonton in their last five games. Sixteen of their final 25 games will come against teams from that group of 17 teams against which they’ve won just five of 17 contests so far.

In short, there will be no soft landing.

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And few teams if any have arrived comfortably in Boston this season. The Bruins have channeled the 1986 Celtics of the NBA, who went 40-1 at home. Boston has yet to lose in regulation on its ice, amassing 15 victories and 31 out of a possible 32 points at TD Garden.

Winger David Pastrnak paces the team in points, goals and power-play production. Behind him, scoring balance and well-defined roles have reigned. Former Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm is on track for a career season. Center Patrice Bergeron has continued to dominate the faceoff circle and excel defensively.

KINGS AT BOSTON

When: Thursday, 4 p.m.

Where: TD Garden, Boston

TV/Radio: Bally Sports West/iHeartRadio