The New York Islanders, who are currently outside of a playoff spot, will look to defeat the Boston Bruins for the third time Thursday night at Nassau Coliseum.

The Islanders are coming off a 3-2 home win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. Tonight, they return to the Coliseum with the Bruins in town. The Islanders are sitting fifth in the division, so a win over the Bruins would help the playoff cause down the road. The Bruins are coming off a 7-3 outdoor win over the Flyers in Lake Tahoe, where David Pastrnak recorded a hat trick. They are in first place in the MassMutual East Division.

Islanders Storylines

Islanders Hot Streak vs. Bruins

Despite the Bruin’s impressive record, the Islanders have been successful when facing them. So far, the two face faced off twice this season. Both were close games, but the Islanders emerged with two regulation wins. They defeated Boston 1-0 on January 18, and 4-2 on February 13.

Is Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Austin Czarnik The “Dream Third Line?”

In his first two games as an Islander, Austin Czarnik has quietly been great. He is expected to get another chance on the third line tonight against his former team. If we see another good game from Czarnik and his linemates, we might have to get used to this third line.

Islanders’ Penalty Killing Woes

The Islanders’ penalty kill has been struggling as of late. The Islanders last two games were against Buffalo and Pittsburgh. Both teams scored power play goals against the Isles. The Bruins’ potent power play currently ranks sixth in the league. Therefore, the Islanders have to be extremely cautious to stay out of the box.

Bruins Storylines

Injury Bug Bites Bruins

Multiple injuries will sideline a handful of Bruins tonight. Veteran center David Krejci has missed three of the last four games with a lower-body injury. Krejci has 15 assists across 10 games. Wednesday, the team also announced that young defenseman Jeremy Lauzon had surgery on his hand and will be out for at least four weeks. Winger Ondrej Kase and defenseman Matt Grzelcyk have been out for a while and are not quite ready to return. Kevan Miller will also not play tonight.

Bruins In Hibernation

Lately, the Bruins have been inactive. Due to coronavirus postponements and needing time to travel cross-county and back to play in Lake Tahoe, the Bruins have played just one game since January 14. This could help the Bruins, because they have had more rest than the Isles. This could also hurt them though, as the lack of play could set them off track.

Defending the Top Seed

Despite the Bruins being in first and the Islanders in fifth, only three points separate the two teams. In a very close division, a small stretch of bad games could cause the Bruins to drop in the standings. If the Bruins lose to the Islanders in regulation and the Capitals defeat the Penguins tonight, Washington will tie Boston for the division lead.

Where to Watch

Thursday night’s game, the third of eight in the Islanders-Bruins series, will be broadcasted on MSG+. Pregame beings at 6:30 p.m. and puck drop is at 7:00 p.m.

Ben Kule

Die-Hard Islanders fan and writer from Plainview, Long Island, NY. I have a passion and knowledge for this team and I enjoy sharing that with others