Skidding Islanders brace for tough test vs. Bruins (Dec 20, 2016)
BOSTON -- While the Boston Bruins figured out a way to win without their leading scorer Sunday, the New York Islanders continued their plunge in the NHL standings.
The Bruins, who won in the first of what looks like at least two games without David Pastrnak, host the Islanders on Tuesday night. New York has lost five in a row and fallen into last place in the Eastern Conference.
"There's a lot of fight in that room," Islanders coach Jack Capuano said after Sunday's 6-2 home loss to the Ottawa Senators. "When teams lose it, they start quitting, and they don't work, and there's no emotion. That hasn't happened with this group."
The Isles, who have the third-worst points total in the league, are in the midst of their third losing streak of at least three games this season.
It's still early, but they are a distant 13 points away from the last playoff spot. They have been losing close games as they've been tied after two periods and led in one of the contests. But they have been outscored 11-0 in the five third periods.
They are 1-for-12 on the power play and have yielded eight power-play goals in the 15 chances during the streak.
What's most puzzling about the slide is that the Islanders were 5-0-1 in the six games before the losing streak.
The Bruins haven't been great, winning two of their last seven. But they have points in four of those games.
Facing a tired Los Angeles Kings team on Sunday, they played two days after Pastrnak underwent minor right elbow surgery and fashioned their best defensive effort of the season in a 1-0 win. Tuukka Rask recorded his fourth shutout of the season.
"It's one of those games that you only need one bad bounce or one really good chance for them to tie it, and (Sunday) we didn't even give them that," Rask said after his 34th career shutout, this one tying Devan Dubnyk for most in the league this season.
The Islanders have used three different goalies during their losing streak, J-F Berube playing both games over the weekend.
Rask faced only 18 shots in blanking the Kings and figures to take his 10-3-0 career record against the Islanders into this game.
"We score a lot of goals but I think we have the depth we can provide more scoring from other guys too," Rask said. "We seem to like to win these tight games, these low scoring games. That's all right. But yeah, I think our team defense overall today was tremendous."
They can score goals, but the stats say they have scored two goals or less in 22 of their 33 games. And without Pastrnak, who has more than twice as many goals as anyone else on the roster, defense has to be key.
They hope to have added some offense Monday when Frank Vatrano was recalled from a conditioning assignment after recovering from foot surgery. He had eight goals in 39 games last season and scored in both rehab games in the American Hockey League.
While the Islanders have been having trouble with their power play, the Bruins are experiencing the same, going 2-for-31 with the advantage over the last 10 games. Obviously, they hope to cash in on the Islanders' penalty killing woes.
The Bruins have won the last five games between the teams, sweeping three meetings last season.
