Islanders at Bruins

A recent nemesis team is suddenly the ray of hope that could snap the Boston Bruins out of their three-game losing streak encompassing last week’s road trip.

The Bruins (20-17-4 at the halfway mark of the season) are back home, but they must take care of business tonight vs. the New York Islanders with the explosive Edmonton Oilers in Boston on Tuesday night and the following three games against the Tampa Bay Lightning (twice) and Florida Panthers.

If there is an upside to the current downswing in the results, it’s that the Bruins have structure, they have effort, they just lack defensive consistency commensurate with the offense on any given night. To hang with the talented Maple Leafs only to lose after squandering a winnable game in New York against the struggling Rangers, the Bruins have put themselves behind hockey’s infamous 8 Ball.

Forty-four points after 41 games projects to an 88-point season, which typically is not enough to make the playoffs. Under Interim Coach Joe Sacco, the Bruins are 12-8-1, a playoff pace by itself. If the Bruins can continue to produce 25 points for every 21 games played, they will finish somewhere in the 93 to 94-point range. That is an average number of points for the playoff bubble.

One wonders how much more fact-finding about this roster awaits before Bruins management hunkers down for final deliberations before committing to a trade-deadline strategy.

The Islanders (14-18-7), coached by the great Patrick Roy, don’t seem any closer to solving their own problems. Also on a three-game losing streak, the Islanders have sunk from a 2021 appearance in the Eastern Conference Final to basement floors of the conference.

Although they have a highly rated goaltender in Ilya Sorokin, the Isles have allowed 124 goals in 39 games.

FIRST PERIOD

The Bruins thought they had the first goal of the game 3:01 into the action, the puck bouncing in the air off of Cole Koepke and down behind Sorokin, and after video review it was determined there was no goaltender interference on the play, 1-0 Bruins.

As a result of the failed appeal, the Islanders were assessed a bench minor for delay of game, but just 21 seconds later they scored a short-handed goal to tie the game. It was a 2-on-1 off the rush and solid execution of the pass and pull-around on Bruins starter Joonas Korpisalo. 1-1.

Mark Kastelic and Charlie McAvoy get assists on Koepke’s goal.

The Islanders go ahead 2-0 on a point shot by Ryan Pulock at 5:33 and lead 2-1.

Bruins with a big chance as Elias Lindholm sets up Brandon Carlo, but Sorokin makes the stop/smother with Johnny Beecher trying to excavate the puck.

Nice steal by Trent Frederic off the stick of Mat Barzal, but the Bruin go offside.

Marchand scoops the aftermath of a Parker Wotherspoon shot and almost sneaks it inside the right post.

Morgan Geekie passes up a nice setup in the high slot, from whence he has recently scored.

Parker Wotherspoon saves a puck inside the attacking zone and gets it low. Chance for the Bruins, but Sorokin makes the save but cannot locate it. Frederic hunts the puck, Scott Mayfield intercepts him, they clinch as Frederic commits to the scrum. It goes nowhere, and there are no penalties on the play.

Bruins press but can’t get the puck on net.

Shots after one period: 12-9 Islanders, who lead 2-1.

SECOND PERIOD

Anders Lee unchecked down the left wing, snaps the puck past Korpisalo and it’s 3-1 at 4:11.

Bo Horvat is wide open weak side, but the Islanders are offside.

Isles outshooting the Bruins, 19-13.

Midway through the second, Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke skates the puck into the NYI zone and finds an open Justin Brazeau for the one-timer that beats Sorokin and makes this a one-goal game, 3-2 NYI.

End-to-end action, the most-exciting sequence of the game, ensues for the next two minutes, and now a TV timeout and ice scrape will suck the life out of the escalating period.

Islanders outshooting the Bruins, 24-15. Korpisalo made two excellent saves along with other legit stops, and his save pct. for this outing is suddenly creeping toward .900.

Shown on the video board, Jack Edwards gets a nice cheer.

Lee, the Islanders captain, is called for tripping Frederic with 1:45 remaining in the second period, but after a conference between the on-ice officials, it’s determined there is no penalty on the play. The video then plays, and the crowd roars its disapproval.

Frederic is fine, but he went down headfirst into the sideboards with a thud.

The Islanders hem in the Bruins until Charlie Coyle denies Adam Pelech at the left point. The Bruins then get a chance when Morgan Geekie upends Alexander Romanov – no call makeup? – and Pavel Zacha forces Sorokin to make his best save of the period.

Period end, 3-2 NYI. Isles have a 28-18 shots advantage through two periods.

THIRD PERIOD

Marchand backhands a pass from the defensive halfwall into enemy hands, and Lee is on the receiving end, deking and lifting a backhand over Korpisalo at 3:41 … 4-2 Islanders.

Geekie relays left circle to David Pastrnak, who scores an even-strength goal from the powerplay spot (left circle), and it’s 4-3 NYI at 4:35 of the third.

As an aside, the only Bruins with more goals than Kyle Palmieri are Pastrnak and Marchand. Palmieri, who is 33 and at the end of the contract paying $5 million annually, has 12 goals.

Pastrnak give-and-go with Zacha ignites the TD Garden crowd with the tying goal with 7:16 remaining in regulation. 4-4.

The Bruins have now scored four goals in consecutive games, and this result still hangs in the balance.

Pelech isolated in the left circle, Korpisalo fends off his shot, sends it into the netting.

3:10 left in regulation, as the officials work on smoothing out a gouge in the ice just north of the circle to Sorokin’s left. Play underway.

Pastrnak fires a backhand up the sideboards, and the Islanders, amidst a line change, almost fail to dodge the puck (which would have been too many men on the ice).

Regulation ends 4-4; Bruins take at least a point after three straight outright losses.

OVERTIME

Beaucoup chances for the Bruins, who reached 30 shots on net before the Islanders finally get their bounce, and Bo Horvat’s breakway shot trickles through Korpisalo for the GWG. Islanders win, 5-4.

Bruins take a point and see the other blue-and-orange team on Tuesday night, the Edmonton Oilers.

Drive safely.