BOSTON — For the second game in a row, the Boston Bruins beat a Metropolitan Division powerhouse.
Two days after a thrilling 1-0 win over the Washington Capitals, the Bruins returned home and beat the Metro-leading New York Islanders 3-1 at TD Garden.
Patrice Bergeron — who on Tuesday was playing in his 1,000th career game, all with the Bruins — scored Boston’s first goal and empty-netter, while Peter Cehlarik had the second. Jordan Eberle had the Islanders’ lone tally.
Tuukka Rask turned away 28 shots for the Bruins, while New York netminder Robin Lehner made 24 saves.
The Bruins climb to 29-17-7 with the win, while the Islanders fall to 30-16-6 with the loss.
Here’s how it all went down:
SCORELESS OPENER
Although the first period finished scoreless, it almost was like the Isles were begging the Bruins to find a goal.
New York was whistled for three minor penalties in the opening 20 minutes, and at one point the Bruins essentially got four straight minutes on the man advantage when Ryan Pulock was penalized for slashing right as Brock Nelson’s hooking penalty was released.
The Bruins outshot the Islanders 10-7 in the opening stanza.
ONE APIECE
Bergeron got the Bruins on the board first, but in the final quarter of the middle stanza the Islanders locked things back up.
Just a few minutes into the period, Brad Marchand entered the attacking zone with speed and slid a puck across the slot to David Pastrnak, who redirected it to the net. Lehner made the save, but ended up spinning around in the process and leaving a rebound, which Bergeron quickly buried at 2:32.
Marchand made a heads-up play after Bergeron scored too, picking up the puck.
At 15:45, Chris Wagner was hit with a penalty for slashing Anders Lee, and the Isles cashed in on their power-play opportunity.
After receiving a cross-ice pass from Brock Nelson, Mat Barzal from the point slid a pass down to Eberle just a few feet from the near post. Eberle inched toward Rask and potted the equalizing goal at 16:40.
The Isles outshot the Bruins 11-9 in the second.
B’S SCORE AND ESCAPE WITH WIN
The final 20 minutes were thrilling, with the Bruins coming out on top after scoring the period’s lone goal.
It looked like the Islanders would take the lead at 4:52, but the Bruins caught a huge break. Boston lost an offensive zone draw, which led to New York getting a 3-on-2 in transition. Devon Toews found Casey Cizikas as they entered their offensive zone, and Cizikis sent a pass across the ice to Cal Clutterbuck, with Clutterbuck wristing a shot past Rask.
But Boston challenged the goal and won, as Toews was offside entering the attacking zone. The overturned call electrified the home crowd, and the Bruins clearly fed off the energy, as just 1:42 later, they broke the tie.
Kevan Miller ripped a shot from the top of the left circle, which Lehner turned away. He left a rebound on the doorstep though, which Cehlarik cleaned up to put the B’s ahead 2-1 at 6:34 in the third.
The Isles got a prime opportunity on the power play in the back half of the third when Matt Grzelcyk was put away for four minutes for committing a pair of penalties, but New York couldn’t cash in.
The Islanders pulled Lehner with just over a minute left, and Pastrnak had a breakaway chance on the empty net, but left the puck for Bergeron to score in his milestone night.
UP NEXT
The Bruins will play the second game of the current back-to-back Wednesday against the New York Rangers. Puck drop from Madison Square Garden is set for 8 p.m. ET.
This Bruins Wrap is presented by Plainridge Park Casino.
