The bigger news is the loss of goalie Tuukka Rask, who was injured in the second period and will not accompany the team on its trip to New York to play the Rangers on Sunday.
Daniel Paille also left injured in the second period in a costly day for the Bruins, who have still not won back-to-back games since early January.
Third Period, 18:42, Islanders 3-2: Thomas has been pulled for the extra attacker, and the Isles nearly ice it with a long clear that hits off the post off the empty cage.
Third Period, 15:21, Islanders 3-2: The Islanders pull back ahead as John Tavares tips in a Matt Moulson shot in front.
Third Period, 15:05, 2-2: Tim Thomas with his best stop of the night, denying P.A. Parenteau on a blast from the right circle to keep it tied going into the final five minutes of regulation.
Third Period, 11:01, 2-2: The Bruins can't convert that power play. The sides are now back at even strength, though the Bruins are far from full strength with the injuries they've suffered so far.
Third Period, 9:01, 2-2: The Bruins now go on the power play as Steve Staois goes off for tripping. The Bruins lose Daniel Paille on the play though, as he goes down in pain and heads to the locker room.
Third Period, 7:29, 2-2: The Bruins pull even as Tyler Seguin converts a beauty of a breakaway chance.
David Krejci won a neutral-zone faceoff back to Chara, who sent an indirect pass off the boards to spring Seguin. Seguin came in down the right wing, cut across the front of the net and buried a backhander.
Third Period, 5:50, Islanders 2-1: The Islanders kill off the penalty, then threaten just as they return to even strength. Thomas makes a key save on Jay Pandolfo from the right wing to keep it a one-goal game.
Third Period, 1:43, Islanders 2-1: Benoit Pouliot with a chance flying down the middle off a feed from Chris Kelly. Pouliot couldn't get the backhander on net, but does draw a slashing penalty on Milan Jurcina to put the Bruins on the power play.
Third Period, 0:00, Islanders 2-1: The final frame is under way with the Bruins needing a rally to pull out a win on what's been a bad day already with Tuukka Rask getting hurt.
Second Intermission Notes: The afternoon has definitely taken a dark turn for the Bruins, and not because they now trail 2-1 after two periods.
The far bigger concern is the status of Tuukka Rask, who left midway through the second period after appearing to injure his left leg on a save. There has been no update given on his status.
As for the game itself, the Bruins outshot New York 15-7 in the second and have a 27-17 edge overall, but the Isles converted a power play not long after Rask's injury and that is teh difference right now.
End Second Period, Islanders 2-1: The middle frame comes to a close, but not before a double dose of bad news for the Bruins. The Islanders took the lead with the lone goal of the period, but the bigger story is the departure of Tuukka Rask to an injury midway through the period.
Second Period, 15:35, Islanders 2-1: The Islanders convert that power play, with Matt Moulson scoring on just the second shot Tim Thomas has faced since replacing the injured Tuukka Rask.
Moulson banged home the puck from the top of the crease off a backhand feed by John Tavares on the right side.
Second Period, 15:07, 1-1: The Bruins will now be shorthanded again as Adam McQuaid is called for tripping behind the Boston net.
Second Period, 12:33, 1-1: Lots of pressure from the Bruins, but the only shot they can get past Nabokov clangs the post as it remains tied with the Islanders back at full strength. Bruins leading 22-13 in shots, which doesn't include the one Chara put off the pipe late in that power play.
Second Period, 10:33, 1-1: The Bruins will go on the power play midway through the second as Kyle Okposo is sent off for holding.
Second Period, 9:00, 1-1: Tuukka Rask goes down in obvious pain after playing a shot by Matt Martin from the right wing. Rask shook off his glove and signaled to the ref, who stopped play immediately.
Rask had to be helped off and Tim Thomas has come on to play goal.
Second Period, 6:04, 1-1: Greg Zanon making his presence felt again in his second game with the Bruins, this time nailing Frans Nielsen with a big hit along the boards in the Bruins end.
Second Period, 3:05, 1-1: The Bruins continue to pressure and Nabokov continues to flash his glove. He snares a rocket from Seguin on the right wing here, and earlier denied Rolston with a glove save off a feed from behind the net by Marchand.
Second Period, 0:21, 1-1: The Bruins nearly strike early in the second as Lucic sends in a shot from the high slot and Krejci has a rebound chance from the top of the crease, but Nabokov turns aside both bids.
Second Period, 0:00, 1-1: The middle frame is under way here at the Garden, with the Bruins and Islanders deadlocked at 1-1 after exchanging goals late in the first.
First Intermission Notes: The Bruins and Isles played to a 1-1 stalemate in the first, which is not nearly good enough for Boston, which is currently second in the East and battling to stay atop the Northeast Division while the Islanders are 14th in the 15-team conference.
The Bruins can't afford to let New York stick around in this one, and they can't get caught looking ahead to Sunday's showdown with the other New York club, as they next face the East-leading Rangers.
Johnny Boychuk showed no ill effects of his mild concussion as he played 8:05 in the opening period. He certainly wasn't shy about jumping back into the physical play, as he leads all players with four hits so far. Defense partner Zdeno Chara has three hits, including the biggest of the period when he leveled P.A. Parenteau in the opening minute, but the rest of the team combined for just four. The Bruins need everyone playing physical to wear down the Isles and pick up back-to-back wins for the first time since Jan. 10 and 12.
Tyler Seguin wasn't on the ice for Milan Lucic's power-play goal, but he was a member of that revamped line that produced Boston's only goal of the period. Lucic, Seguin and David Krejci combined for four of Boston's 12 shots in the first.
End First Period, 1-1: The opening frame is in the books and it's all even after the Bruins and Islanders traded goals late in the period.
First Period, 17:36, 1-1: The Islanders answer right back with Josh Bailey tying the game.
Frans Nielsen took the puck down the right side and centered it across to Bailey at the left post for the goal.
First Period, 15:10, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins take advantage of that power play as Milan Lucic opens the scoring.
Joe Corvo sent the puck down from the left point to Brian Rolston in the slot. Rolston tapped it over Lucic, who settled it and beat Nabokov top shelf.
First Period, 13:43, 0-0: The Islanders cancel out that penalty as well as Josh Bailey takes a slashing minor. It will be 4 on 4 for 37 seconds, followed by a Bruins power play.
First Period, 12:20, 0-0: The Bruins are shorthanded again after Shawn Thornton is sent to the box for roughing. Thornton took exception to a hit up high in front of the Isles bench and got into a brief wrestling match with Travis Hamonic, who is wearing a full face shield. Thornton got the only penalty out of the scrum.
First Period, 11:19, 0-0: The Islanders have their best chance as Parenteau picks Krejci's pocket in front for a bid, but can't get it past Rask.
First Period, 10:12, 0-0: Joe Corvo steps up for a nice hit on Andrew MacDonald just inside the Bruins blue line. Corvo is playing a better game so far in this one. he's already had a couple of shots and has looked more comfortable out there.
Rolston has also returned, taking that last shift alongside Bergeron and Marchand.
First Period, 7:10, 0-0: The penalties have all expired and the sides are back to even strength.
The Bruins are playing without Brian Rolston right now. he went to the locker room earlier in the period and has not returned.
First Period, 5:10, 0-0: The Islanders don't stay a man up for long. P.A. Parenteau takes a slashing penalty of his own. The sides will skate 4 on 4 for 1:30, then the Bruins will have a brief power play.
First Period, 4:39, 0-0: The Bruins take the first penalty of the day, with Jordan Caron called for slashing to give the Islanders a power-play opportunity.
First Period, 2:58, 0-0: The Bruins nearly get a huge early gift as Matt Moulson coughs up the puck in his own zone. Brad Marchand steals the pass in front of the New York net, but Nabokov makes a glove save to keep it scoreless.
First Period, 0:30, 0-0: The captain sets an early tone as Zdeno Chara levels P.A. Parenteau with a huge hit just inside the Islanders blue line in the opening minute.
First Period, 0:00, 0-0: After an emotional ceremonial puck drop by paralyzed former Norwood High hockey player Matt Brown, this game is under way here at the Garden.
1 p.m.: The Bruins will open with their new top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Tyler Seguin, with Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid on defense and Tuukka Rask in net.
The Islanders counter with David Ullstrom, Frans Nielsen and Josh Bailey up front, Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald on the blue line and Evgeni Nabokov in net.
12:55 p.m.: The Bruins have officially scratched Andrew Ference (lower body), Rich Peverley (knee) and Mike Mottau, who won't get a chance to play against his former team this time around. That means that Johnny Boychuk is indeed back for Boston.
Michael Grabner (illness) and Dylan Reese are out for the Isles.
12:50 p.m.: The Bruins used the same lines in warm-up that they unveiled on Thursday. No surprise keeping Tyler Seguin up with David Krejci and Milan Lucic after that unit combined for four goals in their first game together.
Johnny Boychuk took the line rushes with Zdeno Chara and appears that he will be back in after missing two games with a mild concussion.
Here are the full line combinations from warm-ups:
Lucic-Krejci-Seguin
Marchand-Bergeron-Rolston
Pouliot-Kelly-Caron
Paille-Campbell-Thornton
Defense pairs:
Chara-Boychuk
Seidenberg-Corvo
Zanon-McQuaid
12:30 p.m.: Tuukka Rask led the Bruins out for warm-ups and will get the start for this one.
Evgeni Nabokov is in net for the Islanders.
Johnny Boychuk is on the ice for warm-ups for the Bruins.
12 p.m.: The Bruins could get one of their ailing defensemen back when they take on the Islanders in about an hour.
Andrew Ference (lower body) has been ruled out, but Johnny Boychuk (concussion) will be a game-time decision. He'll take the warm-up before the Bruins make a final decision.
8 a.m. ET: After a dramatic overtime victory over the Devils on Thursday, the Bruins will once again try to post back-to-back wins for the first time since Jan. 10 and 12 when the Islanders come to the Garden Saturday afternoon.
The Bruins are just 10-10-2 since their last consecutive victories, but they have beaten the Isles in each of their first two meetings this season. They've done it convincingly too, winning 6-2 at home on Nov. 7 and 6-0 on Long Island on Nov. 19.
The Islanders (26-29-9, 61 points) come in having lost three straight and five of their last six. New York has also lost five in a row on the road and last won in Boston on Nov. 16, 2009.
That doesn't mean the Bruins can take anything for granted. They haven't displayed nearly enough consistency over the past two months and lead Ottawa by just three points in the Northeast Division. The Bruins (38-21-3, 79 points) do have four games in hand on the Senators, who lost Friday to Chicago.
The Bruins are also dealing with more injuries, this time on defense. Andrew Ference is day-to-day after suffering a lower-body injury against the Devils, though he has not been ruled out for Saturday's game. Johnny Boychuk could also return after missing the last two games with a mild concussion. He practiced with the team on Friday, but still has not faced any contact and could remain out a bit longer.
The Bruins did add depth on defense at the trade deadline, acquiring Greg Zanon and Mike Mottau. Mottau was scratched on Thursday but could return to face his former team, as he and Brian Rolston were acquired from the Islanders on Monday for a pair of minor leaguers.
The puck drops at 1 p.m., so check back here for updates on all the action.
