Mathew Barzal’s goal ended up being the difference-maker in the Boston Bruins’ ultimate 4-1 loss in Game 4 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoffs series against the New York Islanders.
Barzal whacked a deflected puck out of the air and by Tuukka Rask to give the Islanders their first lead since Game 2, and it was a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Rask, who stopped 30 shots on the night, didn’t really even have a chance to react given the bounce the puck took before it entered the net. After the game, he had a simple answer as to what he saw on the sequence.
“I didn’t see it until it was in the net,” Rask said over Zoom. “Not a whole lot you can do when you can’t see it.”
The goalie made a slew of timely saves, but it just wasn’t enough to push New York to the brink of elimination.
The series, which now is tied at two games apiece, shifts to Boston, with Game 5 taking place Monday night. Puck drop from TD Garden is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
