After running through a weak Arizona Coyotes team Thursday, the Boston Bruins were tasked with a stacked New York Islanders team that can score better than most NHL teams.
That proved to be no problem for the Bruins, who have now won four of their last five after knocking off the Isles 3-1 Saturday at TD Garden.
Brad Marchand put the Bruins on the board first with a power-play goal in the second period. Jake DeBrusk, who already had gotten the attention of the Islanders by engaging in a fight with Casey Cizikas in the second period, scored the second tally for the Bruins in the final period.
With time winding down and the Islanders unable to put up many quality chances, the Bruins seemed poised for a shutout. But New York finally caught a break when Josh Bailey hit Anders Lee with a pass right on the doorstep. Lee finished and pulled the Isles within one, but Danton Heinen answered with an empty-netter with 41 seconds to play.
Tuukka Rask won his fourth straight start, turning away 30 shots.
The Bruins improve to 14-9-4 with the win, while the Islanders fall to 16-10-3.
Here’s how it all went down:
FIRST PERIOD ENDS SCORELESS
Though the first period ended scoreless, the Bruins immediately picked up where they left off Thursday in terms of intensity and did not seem sluggish next to the Islanders’ quick pace.
In fact, the Bruins outworked New York in many capacities, winning the shots battle 11-4 while creating five scoring chances to the Isles’ one. A lot of chances for the Bruins were created due to their ability to win the battle in the face-off circle, with the B’s claiming 57-percent of first-period face-off chances.
Boston’s strength on the forecheck was noticeable even within the first few minutes, with New York never quite being able to exit their defensive zone comfortably.
The Bruins killed off the lone penalty of the period, a slash from Zdeno Chara
BRUINS DRAW FIRST BLOOD
The two sides spent the majority of the second period trading chances with each other, but it was the Bruins that broke through with the lone goal of the period.
The B’s got on the power play after the Islanders were whistled for too many men on the ice. Torey Krug gathered the puck behind the Bruins net and darted up ice. Just before reaching center ice, Krug found Marchand with a pass on the left wing as he hit the blue line. Isles goalie Jaroslav Halak got a piece of the puck, but not enough as Marchand’s 11th goal of the season hit the side netting.
DeBrusk tallied his first career NHL fight in the period, squaring off with Cizikas after he planted Charlie McAvoy into the boards.
The Bruins defense faced far more duress in the second period, however, with New York putting 12 shots on goal.
DeBRUSK ADDS THE FINAL TALLY
With the Bruins doing everything they could to try and find a second goal to give themselves some breathing room in the final frame, DeBrusk answered the call.
The 21-year-old scored a beauty, corralling the puck behind the net and carrying it into the slot. Instead of sending the puck up to the blue line to try and help the offense regroup, he turned and ripped a shot to the right side of Halak. The Isles’ keeper never had a chance on the wrister, as DeBrusk’s sixth goal of the year whistled right over the goalie’s shoulder.
The Isles didn’t go down without a fight, however.
At 16:52, Bailey hit Lee with a perfect pass right on the far post. The pass skipped just past Rask’s skate, and Lee finished with ease.
But with 41 seconds to play, Heinen sealed the deal with an empty-netter.
UP NEXT
The Bruins will hit the road and take on the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday. Puck drop from Little Caesars Arena is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
