Busy Bruins visit Islanders, look to stay on top

It took the Boston Bruins every second of 60 regulation minutes to close out their Thursday win over the Vegas Golden Knights and snap a streak of six consecutive games that needed overtime or a shootout to be decided.

The Bruins, tied with the Florida Panthers atop the Eastern Conference standings entering the weekend, have little time to rest as they begin a three-in-four stretch with two games on the road. The first is a Saturday night visit to the New York Islanders.

Though the Bruins lost a 3-0 lead in the second period on Thursday, they found a way to win thanks to forward Morgan Geekie's first career hat trick and rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei netting a deciding goal on the power play with just 4:37 remaining.

"Sometimes, you've got to fight and battle through it," Bruins forward Charlie Coyle said. "Maybe it takes a grind-it-out kind of game until the very end to get over that (streak), and that's what happened (on Thursday). It's always nice when you can grab two points and learn from it as well."

Boston has shown fight, no doubt. Gaining points in seven straight games has helped it remain atop the conference, though lost leads led to eventual losses four times during that span.

Another help? Finding offense from sources beyond stars such as David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, who have scored 38 and 26 goals, respectively.

Coach Jim Montgomery, who earned his 100th win with the Bruins on Thursday, has liked the effort of some less-heralded players of late.

"Even on the road trip, our third and fourth lines had been scoring more 5-on-5 than our first and second," Montgomery said. "It's much-needed. The first and second (lines) have to start picking it up, too."

The Islanders have won consecutive road games following a 1-3-2 skid and return home looking to build upon a 5-3 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

Brock Nelson scored twice in the latest victory to lead New York, which overcame losing 2-0 and 3-2 leads to win and climbed within five points of Philadelphia for the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.

"We want it to be (the start of something)," Nelson said. "We had a good trip, now we have to go back home and get some rest because it doesn't get any easier for us."

Knowing the importance of the game, Islanders coach Patrick Roy agrees and hopes his team can build upon the strong effort.

"It's a good road trip," Roy said. "Dallas is not an easy place to play in (for Monday's 3-2 overtime win).

"(In Detroit), the same thing. They're a fast team, they move the puck well. I think we can build on that."

Nelson has scored in four of his past six games and leads the Isles with 27 goals this season.

Roy referred to Nelson and linemates Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat as "game-changers." Barzal also found the net in Detroit and extended his point streak to three games, while Horvat went a dominant 16-for-21 in the faceoff circle.

—Field Level Media