The Boston Bruins host the third of three straight home games coming out of the two-week 4 Nations Face-Off break, and they’ve taken a point out of each of them with overtime losses. After this last chance for two points where the Bruins have been generally successful this season, it’s off to the road for back-to-back matinees in Pittsburgh and Minnesota.
Ilya Sorokin against Jeremy Swayman.
FIRST PERIOD
Johnny Beecher on a breakaway gets slashed down, takes out Sorokin but no shot. It’s a penalty on the NYI’s at 8:34. The referee’s signal came so deliberately that one wondered if he was going to call for a penalty shot but no. Bruins to the powerplay …
It’s been a quick start for the Bruins, who were not able to convert on the powerplay but have outshot the Islanders 12-1 through the game’s first 12 minutes.
Bruins continue to pressure the Islanders, and Alexander Romanov dumps Beecher away from the puck near the right post, and that’s interference. Bruins get a second powerplay at 14:05 of the first period. We’re scoreless at TD Garden.
Bruins pressure on the PP, but the Islanders get the kill, and out of the box comes Romanov to convert the 2-on-1 on the Islanders’ second shot, and it’s 1-0 for the visitors. Jean-Gabriel Pageau with the set-up after Ryan Pulock had advanced the puck. Time of the goal, 16:10.
Charlie Coyle geta 2-on-1 with Brad Marchand. The Islanders defenseman plays it by the book, covering the pass, so Coyle shoots. Save Sorokin.
Pastrnak causes panic with his forecheck and gains possession soon enough to fire a goalmouth feed that Zacha swats at, but he can’t get a solid-enough redirect to put the puck on next and the period expires.
Shots are 16-6 Boston, but the Islanders lead, 1-0.
If this season could find new ways to frustrate the Bruins, I haven’t seen them yet.
SECOND PERIOD
Nikita Zadorov carries down left wing in the opening minute and rips a wrister off the post and out behind Sorokin.
Lohrei passes up a drop pass from Pastrnak to give it back for a bad-angle shot that Sorokin easily blocks. At the other end, Brock Nelson carries deep and cuts to the goalmouth, but Swayman stops his shot.
Justin Brazeau has a lane to the net but loses the handle just enough to throw off the quality of his shot.
Maxim Tsyplakov heads to the bench in pain.
Zacha picks off a pass, goes in and tries short side but cannot beat Sorokin.
The Islanders’ Kyle Palmieri chops a rebound of Nelson’s shot into the high part of the net and it’s 2-0 at 4:21 of the second period.
Riley Tufte goes into the crease after a Sorokin save and gets shoved by multiple Islanders.
Beecher guilty of tripping on the Islanders’ zone exit, so NYI gets its first powerplay of the night 11:05 into the second period looking to build on a 2-0 lead.
Poitras is run into the open bench door by Nelson with 1:36 remaining in the second period, and the on-ice call is a five-minute major to Nelson. Poitras was shaken up and needed time before recovering his feet. The play is under review, and the result is revision to a minor penalty on Nelson. Bruins get a powerplay with a chance to get on the board, cut the lead in half and seize momentum heading into second intermission.
Two shots on Sorokin, both by Lohrei who did an excellent job fending off would-be puck strippers on his zone entry. Simon Holmstrom carried short-handed down right wing and sends a backhand short side that Swayman sticks away. Marchand gets a shot at the other end, it cannot get through, and the period ends 2-0 Islanders.
Still 24 seconds left on Nelson’s interference penalty.
Shots through two periods, 26-13 Boston. Islanders lead, 2-0.
THIRD PERIOD
Marchand pushes down Adam Pelech from behind after the hitting window closed, and he’s called for interference at 3:18. The Bruins have to have this kill or the game is over.
Bruins get the kill.
Parker Wotherspoon goes to the net and Pastrnak nets his 31st of the season, getting the Bruins on the board on what looked like a sweet pass into the blue by Pastrnak. Wotherspoon and Zacha gets assists on the goal with half a period left to play.
The Islanders almost restore their two-goal lead on the ensuing shift, but the Bruins manage to dodge this bullet. A goal there would have let the air right out of this building.
2-1 Islanders with 9:25 remaining.
Bruins with a big chance as Coyle sprawls across the goalmouth in front of Sorokin.
The crowd is finally into this game in more than effort. It’s been a great crowd, undoubtedly containing a healthy number of first-timers or rare-timers buying on the secondary market. They’ve done a great job cajoling the best out of a struggling Bruins team, and now they’ve got something to grab onto with 8:03 remaining in regulation.
2-on-1 pass from Casey Cizikas to Hudson Fasching, save Swayman, and the TD Garden faithful erupt.
The Bruins get the odd-man the other way, Sorokin stops Marchand, who reaches in and gets Tony DeAngelo all riled up. No penalties.
Chess match on the matchups late in the third period.
Romanov and DeAngelo out for NYI, so Sacco uses Kastelic with Zacha and Geekie for the D-zone start. They get the puck deep and Pastrnak replaces Kastelic.
Under 2:00 and Swayman goes to the bench.
Zacha isolated by Marchand, save Sorokin with 1:17 left.
No timeout … yes, timeout Sacco.
Sacco probably thought about rushing the play on Pelech and Pulock, the Islanders’ old reliables on the blue line, but he elected to call them back for a plan.
The draw: Pageau vs. Zacha.
Pageau wins it, Isles clear.
Romanov and DeAngelo will finish this with 28.9 seconds left. Pageau wins another faceoff.
Geekie snaps his stick on a one-timer, and flings the shaft blindly behind him, forcing the referee to leap to avoid it.
Marchand got into it post-siren, and a whistle blew to separate the potential combatants.
Islanders win in regulation, 2-1.
Final shots: 38-20 Boston.
Three home games, two points. Not what the Bruins were looking for.
Drive safely.
Rink Rap with Mick Colageo 