Phil Posted May 29, 2021 Posted May 29, 2021 (E3) Boston Bruins vs. (E4) New York Islanders REGULAR SEASON RECORDS: Bruins: 33-16-7, 73 points Islanders: 32-17-7, 71 points SEASON SERIES: BOS 3-3-2; NYI 5-2-1 [table=width: 650, align: center] [tr] [td]GAME BREAKERS:[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Bruins: Pastrnak didn't score on 19 shots in the first three games against the Capitals. But the right wing had a goal and an assist in each of the last two games and finished the series with a Boston-high six points (two goals, four assists). Pastrnak returned from offseason hip surgery to score 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists) in 48 games in the regular season.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Islanders: Though Mathew Barzal had a mostly quiet first round against the Penguins with three assists in the six games, he had some dazzling moments creating scoring chances in Game 6 and might be on the verge of breaking through. The center led New York with 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 55 games during the regular season and scored 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 22 playoff games during its run to the Eastern Conference Final last season.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table=width: 650, align: center] [tr] [td]GOALTENDING:[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Bruins: Tuukka Rask was a difference-maker against the Capitals with a 1.81 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage. Limited by an upper-body injury, Rask was 15-5-2 with a 2.28 GAA, .913 save percentage and two shutouts in 24 regular-season games. Rookie Jeremy Swayman (7-3-0, 1.50 GAA, .945, two shutouts in 10 games) will continue to back up Rask after passing former Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak (9-6-4, 2.53 GAA, .905, two shutouts in 19 games) on the depth chart when Halak missed three weeks in April because of a positive test for COVID-19.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Islanders: In the first round, rookie Ilya Sorokin became the 10th goalie in NHL history to win his first four playoff games; he was 4-0 with a 1.95 GAA and a .943 save percentage. Sorokin (13-6-3, 2.17 GAA, .918, three shutouts in 22 regular-season games) started Game 1 against Pittsburgh with Semyon Varlamov injured and played the final three games of the series after Varlamov struggled (3.61 GAA, .903) in losing Games 2 and 3. But don't be surprised if Varlamov, a contender to be voted the Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's best goalie in the regular season (19-11-4, 2.04 GAA, .929, seven shutouts in 36 games), gets a chance in this series.[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table=width: 650, align: center] [tr] [td]X FACTORS:[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Bruins: Jake DeBrusk had an inconsistent regular season with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 41 games after scoring 35 points (19 goals, 16 assists) in 65 games last season. But the forward played well in the first round, scoring three points (two goals, one assist), and formed an effective third line with Nick Ritchie and Charlie Coyle. DeBrusk has scored 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 54 playoff games.[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Islanders: Jean-Gabriel Pageau led New York with eight points (five goals, three assists) against Boston in the regular season, playing all eight games, and tied Anthony Beauvillier for the Islanders lead with seven points (one goal, six assists) in the first round. The center elevates his play in the postseason; he has scored 21 goals in 63 playoff games, an average of .33 per game, up from his regular-season average of .21 per game (103 goals in 489 games).[/td] [/tr] [/table] [table=width: 650, align: center] [tr] [td]WILL WIN IF:[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Bruins: They continue to get balanced scoring. The line of Marchand (three goals), Bergeron (three goals) and Pastrnak (two goals) was productive against Washington, but Boston also got goals from six other players in the series, including Hall (two), DeBrusk (two), Coyle (one), Ritchie (one), Smith (one) and Matt Grzelcyk (one). [/td] [/tr] [tr] [td]Islanders: Sorokin and/or Varlamov at least match Rask's performance in net. Sorokin was superior to Pittsburgh's Tristan Jarry (2-4-0, 3.18 GAA, .888 save percentage) in the first round, but New York is likely to face much better goaltending from Rask. If it's more difficult for the Islanders to score, Sorokin can't have his play drop off.[/td] [/tr] [/table] More: https://www.nhl.com/news/boston-new-york-second-round-series-playoff-preview/c-325041968?tid=325021992
Stephen Posted May 29, 2021 Posted May 29, 2021 This is the first playoff series between these two teams since the 1983 Wales Conference Finals. 38 years in the making.
Morphinity 2.0 Posted May 30, 2021 Posted May 30, 2021 Isles got totally pounded last night. I've felt you shouldn't count the Islanders out, but this is two series in a row now they've played like the worse team by a large margin.
Blue Heaven Posted May 31, 2021 Posted May 31, 2021 Nice goal by Charlie Coyle Bruins up 1-0, less than 3:00 in, first shot for B's.
RichieNextel305 Posted June 1, 2021 Posted June 1, 2021 To OT we go in Game 2. Predictions for each team here in OT: I’m gonna call Pastrnak for BOS/Nelson for NYI.
Stephen Posted June 1, 2021 Posted June 1, 2021 You always need a line like the CCM line, something we do not have.
Karan Posted June 1, 2021 Posted June 1, 2021 Ugh, fuck the Isles. This team is like a cockroach that just never dies.
Keirik Posted June 1, 2021 Posted June 1, 2021 Year before Isles hired Trotz and we hired Quinn. New York Islanders 82 35 37 10 80 New York Rangers 82 34 39 9 77
Stephen Posted June 1, 2021 Posted June 1, 2021 Year before Isles hired Trotz and we hired Quinn. New York Islanders 82 35 37 10 80 New York Rangers 82 34 39 9 77 Coaching and discipline have been the differences for the Islanders. I had no idea what we were doing by hiring a college coach that would get his ass handed to him in the qualifying round to Carolina.
Sharpshooter Posted June 1, 2021 Posted June 1, 2021 I'm just glad Drury pulled the plug on Quinn when he did. I know he was pretty tight with him and I was kind of worried he'd give him another year after Chris inevitably tweaks the roster. But, with Dolan looming and all of that, I guess I can't say I'm too surprised he was let go. But, yeah, the Islanders are just very well coached. I can't say I'm surprised. Trotz has just done a great job in his career. His work with the expansion Predators for all of those years is remarkable. How many head coaches of expansion teams are still there over a decade after the franchise's first game? I don't know all of the details with what happened in Washington, but the Capitals were fools for not getting something worked out with him to stay there.
Bugg Posted June 1, 2021 Posted June 1, 2021 Bruins could have dropped it in regulation rather than waste a half hour of sleep, and ,making me more angry for having any rooting interest in this battle of scum. Rooting for the ice to melt or a double forfeit.
Sharpshooter Posted June 1, 2021 Posted June 1, 2021 Bruins could have dropped it in regulation rather than waste a half hour of sleep, and ,making me more angry for having any rooting interest in this battle of scum. Rooting for the ice to melt or a double forfeit. I've been rooting for a meteor strike.
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