bruins-vs-islanders-february-27-2025
'If we play like that every night, we're going to win a lot of games,' Marchand said. 'We can't give points up right now, and we gave one away.' The Bruins piled up 36 shots and scored multiple power-play goals for the second time in their last six games.
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The Islanders visit the Bay State having lost a season-high four consecutive games in regulation, including a 5-1 home defeat to the rival Rangers on Tuesday, dropping them five points back of the Bruins. Hopes on Long Island are slimming as the regular season nears its final full month.
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'At this point, the next game's huge,' Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock said. 'We're kind of fighting for our life here, so we have to learn here and we have to be ready for the next one.'
Here's your preview.
When:
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Where:
TD Garden, Boston
TV, radio:
NESN, WBZ-FM 98.5
Line:
Boston -110.
O/U:
5.5.
ISLANDERS
Season record:
25-25-7.
vs. spread:
30-27.
Over/under:
28-26, 3 pushes
Last 10 games:
5-5-0.
vs. spread:
7-3.
Over/under:
5-4, 1 push
BRUINS
Season record:
27-24-8.
vs. spread:
24-35.
Over/under:
30-28, 1 push
Last 10 games:
4-4-2.
vs. spread:
7-3.
Over/under:
5-5
TEAM STATISTICS
Goals scored:
NY Islanders 154, Boston 163
Goals allowed:
NY Islanders 170, Boston 189
Power play:
NY Islanders 11.3%, Boston 15.4%
Penalty minutes:
NY Islanders 335, Boston 629
Penalty kill:
NY Islanders 70.2%, Boston 75.5%
Faceoffs won:
NY Islanders 55.1%, Boston 51.8%
Stat of the day:
The two teams rank near the bottom of penalty kill percentage in the league, but the Bruins rank first in penalty minutes while the Islanders rank second-least.
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Notes:
The Bruins entered Wednesday in a three-way tie for third place in the Eastern Conference wild-card race with the Senators and Rangers, with the Blue Jackets holding a two-point lead for the final spot. ... Interim coach Joe Sacco liked what he saw for most of Tuesday night against Toronto. 'We were ready to play. I thought we had a great start to the game. For the first 40 minutes, I really liked what we were doing in the hockey game,' Sacco said. ... The Islanders had netted three goals in three straight games prior to Tuesday. Alexander Romanov's goal made it a 1-1 game in the first period, but it was not enough as the Rangers scored on five of their first 10 shots against Ilya Sorokin. 'It was not his best game. There (were) a few bad bounces, so I know he will bounce back,' Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. ... Defenseman Noah Dobson is expected to return from an 11-game absence due to a lower-body injury. Forward Hudson Fasching (upper body) could also return, having not played since Jan. 5, when the Islanders earned a 5-4 overtime win in Boston.
Aiden Barker can be reached at
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