Boston Bruins: 3 Questions Ahead of Tonight’s Game Against the Islanders

The Boston Bruins make their fourth and final trip to Long Island tonight to play the New York Islanders. The previous three trips have been losses and they have been outscored 12-4. Simply put, the Islanders have been the better team and sit five points of the Bruins in the East Division standings.

Here are three questions facing the Bruins tonight against the Islanders as they look to collect their first win of the season at the Nassau Coliseum.

1. Can the Bruins play better in front of Halak?

In their last trip to Long Island on Feb. 25, the Bruins allowed 37 shots on Jaroslav Halak, including 18 in the third period of a 7-2 blowout. Halak has been very good this season, but that night, the Isles got the better of him without much help from his teammates in front of him.

Coach Bruce Cassidy is keeping with the theme he has stuck to most of the season by alternating goalies and with Tuukka Rask getting the nod Sunday in a 1-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils, this will be Halak’s second start against NYI this season. Even though the defense has been hit hard with injuries, the Bruins need to put together a better effort in front of Halak if they want to give themselves a chance to win.

2. Will the Bruins finally solve Varlamov?

Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov has been nearly perfect against the Bruins this season. In three games, he has stopped 90 of the 94 shots fired on the net by Boston.

Varlamov has been very good this season and is a big reason by the Islanders lead the division. He is 11-4-3 with a 2.10 goals-against average (GAA) with a .926 save percentage (SV%). The Bruins have taken an early lead in the last two games against Varlamov and the Islanders, but on each occasion, they have lost. Getting traffic in front of the Isles goalie and getting a lead and keeping the lead will be a big key for the Black and Gold.

3. Can the Bruins win the third period?

In the first game, the game was tied 0-0 entering the third period, but a late goal from Jean-Gabriel Pageau gave the hosts a 1-0 victory. In the next meeting, the game was tied 2-2 entering the final period, but a power play goal from Matt Barzal and a shorthanded tally from Pageau helped the Islanders to a 4-2 win.

In the last game, it was again tied 2-2 entering the third stanza, but five goals from the Isles, including another shorthanded goal from Pageau, led to a 7-2 win.

Finishing the game strong is something that the Bruins have struggled to do lately, especially against the Islanders. If the game is tied or close entering the final 20 minutes, the Bruins are bound to break through and finish the game with a victory, right? Hopefully, but the Bruins would take the opportunity to be in that position again tonight.