Sports are weird in the sense that every season there are certain opposing players and teams that always give you fits, even if they're not that good (like the Pistons with the Celtics). The Islanders (6-4-3) have proven to be a major thorn in the Bruins' (10-2-2) side thus far in 2021. Tonight at Nassau Coliseum, New York beat Boston 4-2 which prevented the Bruins from sweeping their three games in New York this week (after winning twice in NYC vs. the Rangers). The loss snapped the Bruins' five-game win streak and also handed them just their second regulation loss of the season. Ironically enough, the Isles were the team to beat Boston that other time too. This looked like the last game of a road trip for the B's since they were outshot 42-30, they allowed a power play goal and a shorthanded goal plus goaltender Tuukka Rask (38 saves, 6-2-1) gave up a weak goal that shouldn't have gone in.
The good news for the Black and Gold is that they will have six more cracks at the Isles, including four matchups at TD Garden before the playoffs start this spring. This evening began on a high note for the Bruins as left wing Brad Marchand fired a shot past Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (28 saves, 6-2-2) at 8:41 of the first period. Center Patrice Bergeron found him with a sweet backhand pass while right wing David Pastrnak had the second assist on Marchand's team-high ninth goal of the season. New York only trailed for less than three minutes as center Jean-Gabriel Pageau went to the net and was able to put in a rebound at 11:36. Defenseman Ryan Pulock and right wing Leo Komarov (fresh off not being clamed on waivers) provided the assists on JGP's third goal of the season. The Islanders took a 2-1 lead at 15:16 as right wing Jordan Eberle's shot from distance leaked through Rask's five-hole. Eberle's sixth goal of the season was assisted by center Brock Nelson and defenseman Scott Mayfield but he really should have been thanking Boston's goalie for letting that innocent shot go in.
The first line for the Bruins provided all of their offense (which is hardly ever a good thing against a decent opponent) because Bergeron tied it up with assists from Marchand and Pastrnak at 16:51 of the second period. Bergy's goal-scoring tends to come and go at times which is why it's nice to see him get off to such a good start this season in that department. Boston played the last two periods with five defensemen after Jakub Zboril left in the first period with an upper-body injury and he never returned to action. Not to throw out all the possible excuses at once but keep in mind that the B's were also playing in the second game of a back-to-back after a rare Friday contest last night at MSG. The Isles sure looked like the more rested club in what crazy NESN Bruins announcer Jack Edwards likes to call "winning time." Center Mathew Barzal absolutely destroyed a one-timer from the slot at 5:30 of the third period for what turned out to be the game-winning goal-his sixth tally of the season. Left wing Anders Lee and Eberle notched the assists on Barzal's cannon that went top shelf giving Rask no chance to stop it. Pageau clinched it with a shorthanded goal at 14:32 after Boston fumbled with the puck trying to get their power play set up. New York briefly had a 2-on-1 and Komarov led JGP with a sweet saucer pass that he was able to corral and put in the net.
Thanks to another team's Covid-19 outbreak, the Bruins will hopefully reap the reward of a mini-break since they were scheduled to meet New Jersey (4-3-2) on Monday at the Garden but the Devils haven't played since January 31. They are hoping to get back to work on Thursday (7, NESN) against the B's in Boston, fingers crossed that it happens. The B's get tomorrow (Valentine's Day) off and then they will practice on Monday at Warrior Ice Arena in preparation for NJ. Head coach Bruce Cassidy and his coaching staff used their unexpected time off last week (when Buffalo couldn't play) wisely since the Bruins won the next two games against the Rangers.
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