The Boston Bruins have collected at least a point in all 16 of their home games after topping the New York Islanders 4-3 in a shootout at TD Garden. On a night when Boston needed a complete team effort, Jake DeBrusk led the B’s to victory.
DeBrusk opened the scoring with a power play goal in the first period for his 10th of the season. Nineteen seconds later, the 26-year-old once again found a way to get the puck in the back of the net to give Boston a two-goal lead.
The Islanders cut the deficit in half after Josh Bailey netted his fifth of the season. New York tied the game a little more than halfway through the second period and would look to take the lead when AJ Greer took a two-minute minor for roughing.
In an unexpected turn of events, Derek Forbort found the open ice in the Islanders’ defensive zone and put the Bruins back on top with a shorthanded score. Matt Martin ended Boston’s momentum after getting the decision in his bout with Greer just before the end of the second period.
The B’s carried the lead heading into the final frame, but Casey Cizikas tied the game after scoring his second of the season. The teams traded chances before ending regulation tied at three apiece. A scoreless overtime was not without its fair share of exciting opportunities, as the game would be decided in a shootout.
Charlie Coyle couldn’t tuck the puck past Semyon Varlamov’s left pad in Boston’s first attempt. Mathew Barzal reminded everyone of the 2015 draft after beating Linus Ullmark to put the Islanders up after the first round.
Jake DeBrusk completed his “hat trick” to get the Bruins on the board with a subtle finish as the B’s second shooter. Ullmark took away the angle on Brock Nelson as the Bruins tied the shootout after two rounds.
Boston’s netminder did the same thing to Josh Bailey to seal the victory, but David Pastrnak stole the show with his goal in the third round. Pastrnak’s poise, deception, and quick hands fooled Varlamov enough to go top shelf and get the TD Garden screaming at Don Sweeney to figure out a way to sign the man.
Quite the shootout goal from David Pastrnak. pic.twitter.com/j1LGKBOeWl
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) December 14, 2022
The Bruins continue to put on a show in front of their home fans. With a victory in its 28th game, Boston has dropped two out of three games just once this season. The B’s have four games remaining on their five-game homestand. Next is the Los Angeles Kings, who are coming off a 6-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.