Bruins get Hampus back

Hampus Lindholm, having been limited to three games this season by a reported hamstring injury, is back in the lineup tonight for Part 2 of Boston’s back-to-back games at Ottawa (a 7-2 debacle) and the N.Y. Islanders here at TD Garden.

The ramifications: Michael Callahan sent back to Providence but not only that, Mason Lohrei is given a night to watch from the ninth floor in favor of NHL debut Jonathan Aspirot.

Aspirot is a bit of a left-shot version of former Bruin Connor Clifton. His game may prove to be less explosive (ie. “Cliffy Hockey” – Clifton admitted hating that label shortly before he was let go to Buffalo).

So Bruins Nation shall now hold its collective breath, as the chaos that has been described by one reader as a bunch of chickens running around with their heads cut off needs a calming influence on an every-night basis.

The Islanders will look as familiar as imaginable off the hop, as Mat Barzal centers Kyle Palmieri and Anthony Duclair, with Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock on defense in front of Ilya Sorokin.

This game is also Boston’s first opportunity to see first-overall draft pick Matthew Schaeffer on the Isles’ blue line.

One more wrinkle: Marat Khusnutdinov joins Fraser Minten and Tanner Jeannot, while Mikey Eyssimont joins Sean Kuraly and Mark Kastelic, as coach Marco Sturm seeks some third-line chemistry.

Here come the Bruins, led through the gate by Joonas Korpisalo.

FIRST PERIOD

The Islanders get their odd-man rush, and Bo Horvat buries it a minute and eight seconds into the game.

Hampus Lindholm is minus-1, but the Boston Bruins have to be thrilled to have him back.

The Islanders’ Palmieri makes it 2-0 at 4:52 on a delayed penalty with Sorokin on the bench for a sixth attacker. Nikita Zadorov was going to be penalized for tripping after Jeannot turned the puck over in the attacking zone.

Observation: The Bruins are trying to play the game faster than some of their depth forwards can cleanly play it. They’re finding out what the limitations on this roster are via turnovers. Not the Jeannot turnover – that was a 1-on-1 play, but other ones in the neutral zone, especially as the Bruins attempt to relay the puck up ice.

David Pastrnak has a beef with Pelech, then discusses with the referee coming out of the TV timeout.

Eyssimont falls on the icing chase under Pelech, takes down Pelech, gets a boarding minor in an attempt to manage escalating tensions in the game. Islanders with a big chance with 3:46 remaining in the first period.

On the PK, Jeannot gets away with a trip in the D-zone – if the score is 2-0 Boston, that’s a penalty… don’t @me – Bruins get the imperative kill, and the period ends 2-0 Islanders.

Shots after 1: 10-4 NYI

The natives are restless.

SECOND PERIOD

Casey Mittelstadt tests Sorokin with a well-placed wrist shot that the Islanders starter grabs with the outstretched mitt.

Anders Lee to the box for tripping at the 38-second mark; Bruins to the powerplay.

Zone time for Boston, but the Islanders get the kill. But Marshall Warren trips Kastelic, and the Bruins are right back on the powerplay at 3:18.

This time they convert, as Pastrnak relies from the right circle below the goal line to Pavel Zacha, who relays hard to the slot for Elias Lindholm, who score at 3:57, and it’s one-goal game at 2-1 NYI. For the second straight man advantage, the Bruins gained the zone and pressured Sorokin.

Aspirot blew a tire on the defensive side of a NYI rush but recovered, and so did the Bruins, sparing the defenseman making his NHL debut a nightmare of a situation.

Bruins with another chance, as the powerplay gives them a goal and momentum.

Mittelstadt is sprung with a lane to the slot, but Scott Mayfield goes down on his belly to making a sliding block out of play. Great play by one the Isles’ core guys from when they provided the eventual champion Tampa Bay Lightning with their stiffest test en route to winning the Stanley Cup in 2021.

Hampus Lindholm announces his return with the primary assist on Pastrnak’s tying goal, the finishing touch to several clean passes inside the Islanders’ zone; it’s 2-2 at 6:49 of the second period.

Kastelic catches a long pass, but Sorokin steers away his wrister.

Goal – the Bruins are suddenly feeling it, taking the lead at 8:48, 3-2. Charlie McAvoy hit Eyssimont’s well-placed stickblade, caroming the puck like a billiard shot in behind Sorokin.

Suddenly down 3-2, old friend Patrick Roy uses his one and only timeout.

Mat Barzal passes up a glittering chance after the Islanders escape the Bruins’ pressure applied by Pavel Zacha, Viktor Arvidsson and Mittelstadt.

The Bruins are outshooting the Islander in this period by a 10-1 margin.

The Islanders have their best shift since Boston’s three-goal explosion, and it ends with Joonas Korpisalo’s fifth save of the shift and a double-minor on Hampus Lindholm for high-sticking with 2:51 remaining in the period.

Schaefer, paired with Mayfield, began the transition, and the Islanders line of Barzal, Duclair and Palmieri hemmed in the Minten-Jeannot-Khusnutdinov line

Korpisalo is doing his finest work late second period, making another stop on the Lindholm double-minor.

The Bruins’ lead survives the second period, but 1:09 of the second half of Lindholm’s double-minor will carry into the third period.

Shots after two periods: 20-15 Islanders.

This game has been a territorial see-saw, as the Islanders had a 10-4 shots advantage in the opening period, then the Bruins outshot NYI 10-1 to open the middle period, but the late push by New York resulted in a 9-1 reversal to achieve the second-intermission totals (20-15 NYI).

THIRD PERIOD

This game has already seen imbalanced ice time, and the trend is certain to continue in the third period of a one-goal game desperately needed by the Bruins after Monday’s blowout loss in Ottawa.

Pastrnak off for hooking, so the Islanders will get more chances at tying this game.

Emil Heineman was open in the slot but fanned on the setup. Korpisalo, who was sensational for the Islanders push late in the second, gloves Tony DeAngelo’s shot from the point. Jonathan Drouin misses over the bar, then Palmieri shanks his chance from the slot. Another chance in tight for Palmieri, but Korpisalo shuts it down.

Kuraly pokes the puck forward to Zadorov, who goes hard down left wing and draws a slashing penalty on Pelech, so the Bruins have a powerplay almost five minutes into the third leading 3-2.

The Bruins patiently work the puck around the perimeter until it gets to Geekie one more time, and his one-timer beats Sorokin, 4-2, at 5:48 of the third. Huge goal.

Kyle MacLean tips a puck wide of the post, as the Islanders attempt to answer and stay in the game.

Barzal trips Hampus Lindholm and complains at the call. Bruins back on the powerplay at 7:16.

Hampus Lindholm is out for interference with 8:13 remaining in regulation. Islanders to the powerplay. Since giving up two early goals, Korpisalo has kept giving the Bruins opportunities to win the game, and they’re in a great position up by two goals but with another minor penalty to kill.

Drouin tries to make the play McAvoy made to Eyssimont, but Korpisalo interrupts it. Kastelic and Zacha to the bench, Elias Lindholm and Kuraly, then Jeannot and Minten on for the second minute. Defense also switches to Zadorov and McAvoy, then back to Jokiharju and Andrew Peeke.

Big block by Jeannot on Horvat from the slot. Korpisalo smothers the rebound shot. Bruins get the kill and are 5:47 away from a desperately needed victory.

Horvat shakes loose for a slot chance he should not have been allowed; it deflects off target.

Arvidsson tries for Mittelstadt, no go.

Now Sorokin is out, and Minten gets the ENG to make it 5-2 with 3:23.

We’re getting downstairs to talk with some relieved Boston Bruins.

An improved Buffalo team is in here Thursday.

Drive safely.