The New York Islanders scored three straight goals to take a 5-2 lead, and then held on for a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins in Game 5 of their second round playoff series at TD Garden in Boston on Monday night. New York is one win away from clinching the best of seven, now up 3-2.
Boston got off to quick 1-0 lead in the first period, and really owned New York all night in chances and shots on net. Brad Marchand dug out a loose puck behind the Islanders net, and got it to the point to Charlie McAvoy. McAvoy spun a pass to David Pastrnak, who one timed it past Semyon Valarmov from the top of the left faceoff circle at 1:25. Mathew Barzal would knot things up for the visitors at 18:49 with a powerplay goal.
Kyle Palmieri gave New York their first lead of the night also on the powerplay at 4:49 of the second. Marchand would even it 2-2 just 2:38 later with a highlight reel goal for Boston. Pastrnak dished it off to Marchand right in stride at the Islanders blue line, and Marchand worked past two defensemen going from right to left across the low slot and tucking it past Valarmov stick side at 7:27. The guests then took control with goals from Josh Bailey at 14:30, and then their third powerplay marker of the night scored by Jordan Eberle for the eventual game winner at 16:38 to make it 4-2.
Boston goalie Tuuka Rask was pulled after two periods in favor of rookie and former University of Maine goalie Jeremy Swayman in his NHL Playoff debut. But that didn’t bother the Islanders, as Brock Nelson made it a three goal advantage by burying one from the slot at 1:59 of the third. The Bruins had no quit however. Pastrnak got his second of the game and seventh of the postseason on another pass from McAvoy, slamming one home off another one-timer this time from inside the left faceoff dot at 3:48. David Krejci cut it to one when he backhanded a rebound of a Craig Smith shot, that just barely snuck over the goal line at 14:43. Boston pulled Swayman with just under two minutes left for the extra attacker, but couldn’t find the equalizer putting their season on life support as they’ll need two straight wins to advance.
Rask made 12 saves on 16 shots over his two periods of action, while Swayman stopped two of three in the final period. The Bruins outshot the Islanders 44-19 in the game. Pastrnak had two goals and an assist, McAvoy had three assists, and Marchand had a goal and one assist to lead the black and gold. Valarmov came up huge with 41 saves for New York. Barzal, Bailey, and Eberle all had a goal and one assist each, while Anthony Beauvillier and Noah Dobson had two assists a piece. The Bruins went 1-2 on the powerplay, while the Islanders went 3-4. Game 6 is scheduled for a 7:30 face-off on Long Island at Nasseau Coliseum on Wednesday night. Head Coach Bruce Cassidy said after the game that Rask is the starter for that Game 6 in Uniondale.
