The Bruins were frustrated enough after losing three straight games in regulation for the first time this season. They weren't about to let the streak reach four games on Thursday against the Islanders.
There was never much chance of that, as Boston came out with the kind of inspired effort missing from their last three outings, jumping out quickly with three goals in the first 9:04 en route to a 6-3 victory.
"You're never happy when you lose three in a row," Bruins forward Milan Lucic said. "Stuff like that is going to happen throughout the season. It is a long season. The quicker you get out of it and the quicker you realize what you need to do to get out of it the better. We're happy we were able to get out of that funk and not keep that losing streak going. It was a great way to start the road trip here and I think we definitely have to build from it."
Thursday's clash on Long Island was just the opener of a season-high six-game road trip. The Bruins head north to Ottawa on Friday, then after practicing at home over the weekend, they head out West for games in Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton before another stop in Ottawa.
Starting such an arduous trek on the right foot was key for the club.
"It definitely was a huge thing," rookie center Tyler Seguin said. "Good teams have to respond, and after losing three in a row there, it was probably the first time all year we had done that, and we wanted to have a big game tonight. We did that, and now we want to have a great western road trip here."
Seguin came through with a big night of his own, collecting a goal and an assist for his first multiple-point night since Jan. 11. Seguin seems to have responded well to being a healthy scratch in two games last week and the added knowledge that new addition Chris Kelly could soon be pressing the youngster for playing time when Kelly joins the club in Ottawa.
"I think he's playing a little harder," Bruins coach Claude Julien said of Seguin. "I think he's competing a little harder in the little areas that we've talked about. But at the same time, I think at one point he wasn't really using the skills he's always had his whole life to his advantage. He was so worried about everything else. At one point he just had to start playing his game. We often tell players just go out there and play, and I think that's what he's had to do."
Seguin started things off early by setting up Blake Wheeler for the game's first goal, then added a goal of his own in the second period for his third tally in the last five games he's played.
"It felt good," said Seguin, who now has 10 goals and 20 points on the season. "I wanted to get involved in the whole game and I knew those first couple shifts I'd have to do that. You know, the first shift, Wheels scored and I was part of the play. It just started there and now it's just consistency."
The Bruins got consistent offensive pressure early from a balanced attack, with goals from each of their four forwards lines. After Wheeler scored, Mark Recchi banged in a pass from Patrice Bergeron and Greg Campbell scored while Daniel Paille, who was originally credited with a tip, provided the screen in front. Then 55 seconds into the second period, David Krejci followed up his own shot with a backhander at the left post.
Seguin's tally and a Lucic power-play goal off a great kick-pass in front by Krejci rounded out the Bruins scoring. In all, six different Boston players scored and 12 skaters had at least one point. But the most important stat remained the two points added in the standings to keep Boston in first place in the Northeast Division despite their recent slump.
"I think the biggest thing tonight was the win," Julien said. "We needed a win. We needed to get ourselves back on track. I really liked our first period. I thought we were right on top of our game. I think offensively we did some really good things, but defensively again we had some little lapses. Those are the things we're trying to correct here, so hopefully it's step in the right direction and we can keep working on that and get better."
Tuukka Rask helped cover the defensive lapses that did occur, as he finished with 34 saves for just his sixth win of the season.
"He came up with the win," Julien said. "I think it's important he gets some wins and get some confidence under his belt. I thought he made some good saves at the right time and for a guy that hasn't been playing much, he was good for us tonight."
