Bruins/Islanders: Game 6

With their backs against the wall, the Bruins hope to stave off elimination against the New York Islanders in game six of their highly contested playoff series and get the series back to the Garden for a potential game seven. Before that can happen, the Boston Bruins need to handle business in game six first. On the brink, the Bruins find themselves shorthanded, particularly on the blue line, with a trio of teammates missing in Brandon Carlo, Kevan Miller, and now Curtis Lazar. Showing faith in his starting goaltender, coach Cassidy confirms Tuukka Rask will get the net despite coming out of game 5 in favor of Jeremy Swayman, in what Cassidy described as “maintenance”. Come puckdrop, both teams exhibit exuberance and excellent energy on par with the physical precedent in which had been established early on in the series. The first nail in the coffin of the Bruins season is hammered in at 8:52 when an unfortunate Travis Zajack wristshot on the rebound finds the back of the Bruins net, 1–0 Islanders. The first penalty of the game is called at the 5:47 mark of the first period putting the Bruins on their first powerplay, which is extended into a second powerplay. Bruins find the equalizer on a sweet dish by David Pastrnak to the right side, finding Brad Marchand who puts it over Varlamov for the game-tying goal 1–1 at the 17:36 mark of the first. The second period in the previous few games proved to be critical unraveling points for the Bruins, a motif the Bruins aimed to avoid at such a critical juncture. Though seems to remain futile at 5:20 of the second, when a Matt Grezclyk turnover finds the stick of Brock Nelson and the back of Tuukka Rask’s net for the 2–1 Islanders lead. The second period bloodletting continues when the Bruins defense promptly mishandles a pass from Rask along the boards when Brock Nelson scores his second on the night, but dinner begins to start to smell done at 16:07 of the second when a Kyle Palmeri goal trickles underneath past Rask for the daunting 4–1 Islanders lead. The Bruins are outshot 11–3 in the second going into the final period of their season. In an anticipated move of desperation to start the third, I expected to see young, upstart Jeremy Swayman inserted in net, I was shocked to see Rask resume his post at puckdrop. Bruins attempt to surmount their comeback while on the power play at 5:38, Brad Marchand straps his work boots on and powers his way in through the Islanders crease, scoring a gritty, blue-collar, backhand goal to cut the lead to 4–2. That would be as far as they would go though. the Islanders scored two empty-net goals while shutting down the neutral zone, controlling the pace of play, and limiting the Bruins to zero shots on goal until the clock expired on the Boston Bruins' 2021 season. Quite frankly, an embarrassing effort in an elimination scenario, that I was almost certain would produce different results. Bottom line: the Bruins looked overmatched at times during the series with too many passengers. Lacking true, quality depth at several key positions. The Bruins have several looming off-season questions on the horizon. They own the 20th overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft on July 24th, but this offseason will have the Seattle expansion draft to contend with as well three days beforehand. Enjoy the offseason and we’ll talk soon…

Bruins/Islanders: Game 5

Ahead of game 5 of the Bruins Islanders playoff series, we saw the reinsertion of Karson Kuhlman in favor of the struggling Jake Debrusk. An attempt to add a spark to the bottom 6 forward group. In the first period, the Bruins did exactly that, playing the body and making life difficult for Islanders' defenders. So much so that, almost a minute and a half into the game, Pastrnak makes up for the glaring miss last game, putting home a slapper from beyond the point to give the Bruins the early 1-0 lead. The scrappy affair continues. Late in the period, Kuraly takes a soft slashing penalty that leads to the game-tying Islanders' goal with a little more than a minute left. Slightly more than four and a half minutes into the second period, the Bruins take a slew of bad penalties, the first of which results in Kyle Palmeri standing out front putting the Islanders ahead 2-1, again on the powerplay. About three minutes later, Brad Marchand finds the Bruins equalizer, a highlight-reel goal, skating through the Islanders' defense and across the crease, stuffing it in at the far end to tie the game at two. The exuberance is short-lived as the Bruins have a series of defensive collapses resulting in the next three unanswered Islanders' goals, 5-2 Isles. To start the third period, after giving up four goals on sixteen shots, Tuukka Rask is pulled in favor of rookie netminder, Jeremy Swayman. Three and half minutes into the third period, while on a powerplay of their own, the Bruins start to chip away on a feed to Pastrnak at the center of the left dot, a slapshot finding the back of the net, 5-3. More than half the period later, David Krecji furthers the Bruins effort on a backhand shot from Mike Riley, which Islanders goaltender Varlamov originally thought he had secured to inch it closer 5-4. The comeback attempt proves futile as the Bruins put a barrage of shots on goal as the clock expires to zero. The Islanders take a commanding 3-2 lead in the series. I think coach Cassidy's comments after the game pretty much summed up how most everyone felt about the officiating outside of Long Island. Heartbreak ridge Wednesday night.

Bruins/Islanders: Game 4

In Game four of the series, the Islanders pervade a sense of desperation in their game, and for good reason. In such a contested series, no team at this stage of the playoffs can afford to go 0-2 in their own barn. If we thought game three was overly physical, then the first period of game four set the bar that much higher. Two separate bare-knuckle brawls in between a major scrum to set an early tone. Four minutes into the second period while on the powerplay, Bruins invade the Isle's crease and in a tussle pass the puck across to David Krecji, who scores his first playoff goal of the season. After a quick look, the good goal is confirmed and the Bruins are awarded another power play. Two and a half minutes later the Islanders just tie the game on Palmeri out in front, 1-1. The game plays on and continues and is highlighted by turnovers, no calls by the officials, big goaltender play, and even bigger defensive play all the way down to seven minutes left in regulation. Matthew Barzal gets it put up on a T and puts home the 2-1 Slapper to put the Islanders ahead. Casey Cizikas and JG Pageau seal it with empty-net goals. Islanders win 4-1. Bottom line: Islanders just fought a little bit harder and outshot the Bruins 34-29.

Bruins/Islanders: Game 3

As the series shifts over to Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY for game 3 of the highly contested series between the Bruins and Islanders, one of the big questions that loomed was the health of Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask. As pucks drops it's clear that this contest will be a low offense, physical, goaltenders' duel. Six minutes into the game, freshly reinserted Craig Smith roofs one over Varlamov, getting the Bruins on the board first, 1-0. The low offense and big-time goaltending continued all the way into the third with only six and a half minutes left in regulation, when Matthew Barzal manages to jam one home to finally get the Islanders on the board and tie the game 1-1, sending the game to overtime for the second game in a row. Brandon Carlo also left the game in the third, after a hit on the glass that had him come up woozy. The extra frame seems to be all Islanders, when Brad Marchand fresh on the ice finds a puck that he promptly brings up ice and fires a bad angle shot that finds the far end of the ner for the 2-1 game winning bruins goal. Bruins win and outshoot the Islanders 41-29.

Bruins/Islanders: Game 2

Before the start of game two of the Bruins and Islanders second-round playoff game, we saw the Islanders make a change in net, going to Symeon Varlamov in relief of young Russian sensation, Ilya Sorokin. The Bruins were also without Craig Smith, after he sustained an undisclosed injury last game, Karson Kuhlman slotted in his place. Charlie Coyle makes quick work to get the Bruins on the board first, just two and half minutes in, on a wristshot from Nick Ritchie, 1-0 Bruins. Bruins weather the storm in a shift of moment and several flurries of chances until the Islanders finally breakthrough on the powerplay, almost seven minutes into the second to tie it at 1. Four minutes later the Islanders take the lead on a Palmeri wrister from Ledy, 2-1 Isles. Islanders even further their assault, again on the powerplay, and this time Bruins nemesis J.G. Pageau for a 3-1 Isles advantage. Bruins got their work cut out for them in third and get to work, strapping on their work boots

 First, Captain Patrice Bergeron puts one home, halfway through the period, on a pass out front from Brad Marchand, 3-2 Bruins. Five minutes left regulation, Marchand ties the game at 3 from the right point on a pass from Charlie McAvoy to force the overtime period. Bruins get outshot 16-3 since the game-tying goal and give up a defensive miscue in the extra frame leading to a breakaway chance for the Islanders which ultimately leads to Casey Cizikas' game-winning goal for New York, 4-3 in OT. Tying the series at one game a piece.

Bruins/Islanders: Game 1

And the Match is set. Several days ago it was cemented that in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs the Bruins would square off again the New York Islanders. Who had just come off a high contested series against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins, who they vanquished in six games. The Islanders at times this season gave the Bruins fits. Of course, that was before the injury to their captain Anders Lee and the trade deadline which was a game-changer for the Bruins. Game With a fury of chances from either side, no one manages to find the back of the net until almost twelve minutes in, on the powerplay, Beauvillier tips one in from Dobson, to give the Islanders 1-0 lead. Bruins answer back on a powerplay of their own with 24 seconds left in the period. When David Krecji kicks the puck out to Pastrnak at the right point, putting it home for the game-tying goal, 1-1 to end the first. Eleven minutes gone in the second, Bergeron finds a rebound out front that he sends out to passionate in the same spot, for the same result, his second goal of the game, on a diving attempt by the Islanders netminder,  to put the Bruins ahead 2-1. Not a minute and a half later, Pelech re-ties the game for the Isles on a bomb from way out, 2-2. For periods of time, it felt like the Bruins were being outdone by the Islanders' forecheck. Six minutes later Charlie McAvoy put any doubters to rest, on a slapshot from David Krejci to put the Bruins ahead 3-2. David Pasternak completes his second career playoff hat trick with a little more than 4 minutes left in regulation when he picks off a pass in the neutral zone that he brings it up ice, straight down main street, creating time and space for his third goal of the game, as the Bruins start to pull away 4-2. Taylor Hall puts a big, bright, shiny bow on it, with the empty net tuck with a minute and a half left in regulation for the eventual lopsided 5-2 victory in front of the raucous, full capacity Boston crowd, the largest of its kind thus far in the NHL this season.

Bruins/Capitals: Game 5

The Boston Bruins aimed to close out their first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals with a victory in Game 5. Soon as the puck drops you get a feel and sense of desperation in the play of the capitals. We saw a flip of the script if you will, with Washington doubling up the Bruins with shots on goal. Much like previous games in the series, we saw a scoreless first period, with skill and talent at a premium. With about two and a half minutes gone and the second period, Morgan Riley feeds David Pastrnak who skates across the middle, splitting the defense, putting the puck in on the far edge, giving the Bruh ns the 1-0 advantage. A little less than 6 minutes remained in the second period when Pastrnak is tackled to the ice freeing up the puck to Morgan Riley who feeds the puck out front to Bergeron, who puts the puck home uncontested for the now 2-0 Bruins lead. 11 seconds into the third period, Conor Sheary of Washington returns the favor, cutting the Bruins lead in half, 2-1. Seven and a half minutes remain in regulation when Pastrnak attempts to corral a puck that goes through his skates and drops back to Bergeron, who is able to settle it and fires it in for his second goal of the night, 3-1 Bruins. After a valiant effort by Washington is called back on goaltender interference, the Boston Bruins claim victory in five games, eliminating the Washington Capitals from playoff contention while being outshot 41-19. The Bruins await the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins/New York Islanders series