Bruins Look to Get Back on Track Against Slumping Islanders

The Boston Bruins are searching for answers as they wrap up their three-game homestand against the New York Islanders on Thursday night. After back-to-back overtime losses, Boston has dropped four straight games (0-2-2) and is clinging to a tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile, the Islanders are facing even bigger challenges. They’ve lost four consecutive games in regulation, their longest such skid of the season, and are quickly slipping out of playoff contention. With both teams desperate for points, this matchup carries major implications.

Bruins Need to Close Games Stronger

Boston’s latest loss was a frustrating 5-4 overtime defeat to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The Bruins built a 3-0 lead, only to watch it disappear as Toronto clawed back and eventually won in extra time.

Captain Brad Marchand knows that every point matters at this stage of the season, and losing games like that could prove costly in the long run.

“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.”

There were some positives despite the loss. Boston outshot Toronto 36-30 and scored multiple power-play goals for just the second time in six games. The offense is showing signs of life, but finishing games remains a concern.

Interim head coach Joe Sacco liked the energy from his team but acknowledged that a team like Toronto can quickly turn things around if given momentum.

“We were ready to play. I thought we had a great start to the game,” Sacco said. “For the first 40 minutes, I really liked what we were doing in the hockey game. If you give (a team like Toronto) a little bit of life … they start to push.”

The Bruins will rely heavily on David Pastrnak, who scored twice and added an assist against Toronto to extend his NHL season-best 15-game point streak. He knows that getting a win is the only way to build confidence.

“We’ve gotten two out of four points since the break, but haven’t got the W,” Pastrnak said. “We need to put some games together to get that mojo because it wasn’t a bad game on our side (on Tuesday).”

Boston sits just two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild-card spot. A win on Thursday would be a major step toward getting back into the race.

Islanders Facing Must-Win Situation

The Islanders are in danger of falling out of the playoff picture entirely. Their 5-1 home loss to the Rangers on Tuesday was another tough setback, dropping them five points behind Boston in the standings.

Defenseman Ryan Pulock understands that the margin for error is shrinking quickly.

“At this point, the next game’s huge,” 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.”

New York had been scoring consistently before Tuesday’s game, netting at least three goals in three straight games. However, their defense and goaltending let them down against the Rangers, as New York scored on five of their first 10 shots against Ilya Sorokin.

Head coach Patrick Roy defended his goaltender, acknowledging that it wasn’t Sorokin’s best night but expressing confidence in his ability to bounce back.

“It was not his best game. There (were) a few bad bounces, so I know he will bounce back,” Roy said. “He’s a character person. … I know we can count on him, there’s no doubt in my mind.”

Key Reinforcements for the Islanders

The Islanders will get a big boost with the return of Noah Dobson, who has missed the last 11 games due to a lower-body injury. As the team’s top-scoring defenseman, Dobson’s presence will help both offensively and defensively.

Roy is excited to have him back and expects him to make an immediate impact.

“What I want to see from (Dobson) is controlling the puck, jumping in the rush, defending well, doing things he’s been doing very well since he’s been here,” Roy said.

The Islanders could also get forward Hudson Fasching back from an upper-body injury. He has been skating with the team and may return to the lineup after missing over a month.

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Keys to the Game

For Boston, the focus will be on closing out games. They’ve had strong starts but have struggled in the final periods, allowing opponents to claw back and steal points. If they can play a full 60 minutes, they should be in good shape.

For New York, getting a strong performance from Sorokin will be crucial. The Islanders have struggled defensively, and if they can’t tighten up in front of their goalie, Boston’s offense will take advantage.

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What’s at Stake?

Boston needs to snap its four-game losing streak to avoid falling further behind in the wild-card race. With a difficult schedule ahead, grabbing two points against a struggling Islanders team is critical.

For New York, this is a must-win game if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. Falling further behind in the standings would make it extremely difficult to climb back into contention.

Both teams are desperate for a win, and with playoff positioning on the line, Thursday’s game should be an intense battle from start to finish.