Feb 13, 2021; Uniondale, New York, USA; New York Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov (40) makes a save on a shot by Boston Bruins right wing Craig Smith (12) during the second period at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 10: Jakub Zboril #67 of the Boston Bruins skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on February 10, 2021 in New York City. The Bruins defeated the Rangers 3-2 in overtime. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The Bad
Jakub Zboril has been very impressive in his first NHL season. Paired with Kevan Miller, Zboril has been better than what the Bruins and coach Bruce Cassidy expected. He did not return after the first period with what Boston called an upper-body injury. In Friday night’s 1-0 win over the New York Rangers, Zboril took a hit up high from the Rangers Jacob Trouba, but stayed in the game. It is not known if that hit had an effect on why Zboril left the game last night.
In defense of the blue line, the Bruins were playing their third game in four nights and were without Matt Grzelcyk and Zboril did not play the final two periods, but the night they had was one they would like to forget. They allowed 42 shots to be fired on Tuukka Rask, with many of them as a result of failing to just clear the puck out of the zone. The first three Islanders’ goals were all a result of failing to get the puck out of the zone when they numerous opportunities.
Trailing 3-2 late in the third period and the Bruins on the power play, Jean Gabriel-Pageau iced the game for the Islanders when he scored a shorthanded goal on a breakaway. Boston turned the puck over at the New York blue line when Nick Ritchie and David Krejci collided bringing the puck into the zone, which gave the Islanders a chance to break away and seal the victory.
