The only team to beat the Boston Bruins in regulation this season did it again Saturday night.
The Bruins received two goals from their top line, and while the effort was there, it wasn’t enough on the second night of a back-to-back. Ultimately, the New York Islanders snapped Boston’s five-game win streak with a 4-2 verdict at UBS Arena.
Boston had earned points in 10 consecutive games dating back to a loss to the Islanders on Jan. 18.
Patrice Bergeron scored a game-tying goal late in the second period after Brad Marchand lifted the Bruins to an early 1-0 lead with his first-period tally.
The Islanders, however, put the game on ice with a short-handed goal at 14:32 of the third period. It was the first short-handed goal allowed by the Bruins this season.
Tuukka Rask stopped 38 of 42 shots while Islanders net minder Semyon Varlamov came away with 28 saves. The 42 shots faced by Rask were a season-high as New York held a 42-30 edge in shots.
The Bruins fall to 10-2-2 on the season while the Islanders improve to 6-4-3.
Here’s how it went down:
TILTING THE ICE
The Bruins came out of the dressing room with a purpose, putting together a few strong scoring opportunities and impressive forecheck. It allowed Boston to take a 1-0 advantage on Brad Marchand’s ninth goal of the season at 8:41.
The Islanders, though, came right back to it and tilted the ice in their favor for much of the remainder of the period. It was, in large part, due to their own forecheck which led to a pair of goals.
Jean Gabriel-Pageau tied the game at 1-all at 11:36.
Teammate Jordan Eberle gave New York a 2-1 lead shortly after at 15:16. The Islanders maintained that advantage heading into the first intermission.
New York held 15-7 edge in shots while each team had two giveaways. Neither the Bruins nor Islanders benefited from a first-period power-play.
TYING IT UP
Patrice Bergeron tied the game at 2-all at 16:51 of the second period, allowing the Bruins to go into the second intermission with a tie game.
The Islanders, though, created a majority of offensive chances with a 30-16 advantage in shots. Boston was plagued by nine giveaways during the first two periods while New York had five.
The Bruins had the lone power-play of the game when New York’s Adam Pelech was sent to the box after a cross-checking penalty on David Pastrnak at 7:47. The Bruins had two shots on goal during the man-advantage.
Boston also was forced to play with five defensemen for second and third periods after blue liner Jakub Zboril was ruled out with an upper-body injury.
ISLANDERS PULL IT OUT
New York scored a pair of third-period goals to break a tie and hand the Bruins just their second regulation loss of the campaign.
New York took a 3-2 lead on a power-play goal from Mathew Barzal at 5:30 of the third. It was the Islanders first power play of the game after Pastrnak was sent to the box at 4:09 for a hooking penalty on Barzal.
The Bruins then looked like they would have a chance to find the tying tally after Jeremy Lauzon drew a high-stick penalty on Jordan Eberle. New York had other plans, though, as Jean Gabriel-Pageau scored a short-handed goal at 14:32 to give the Islanders a late 4-2 lead.
Boston pulled Rask with just shy of three minutes remaining, but weren’t able to cut into the deficit.
UP NEXT
The Bruins will return home after three straight games on the road, hosting the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden on Monday.
