Talking Points: Bruins Shipwreck Islanders 6-2

Here are the Talking Points from a 6-2 drubbing of the New York Islanders by the Boston Bruins for their thrid-straight win.

GOLD STAR: As mentioned here earlier on Saturday, in just under a year, Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk has gone from wanting to and being trade bait to being basically untouchable on the NHL trade market. In his first game since Jan. 2 – when he scored both goals in a 2-1 Winter Classic win – DeBrusk picked up where he left off. Just 2:19 into the opening frame, and with the Bruins on their first powerplay, DeBrusk took a feed from Brad Marchand and buried it by New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov. DeBrusk would also add an assist for his second-straight and seventh multi-point game of the season.

Welcome back, Jake DeBrusk! 👋 pic.twitter.com/70q3RtxmBA

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 18, 2023

BLACK EYE: After winning a 5-4 barn-burner over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, and with the Penguins on deck on Monday, the Islanders skaters had built-in excuse for losing Saturday in Boston, but their goalie Semyon Varlamov, who rode the pine on Friday didn’t. The 34-year-old netminder had arguably his worst game of the season and allowed six goals on 27 shots. I’m not one to lay the blame on a goalie, and as pointed out before, this was pretty much a scheduled loss for the Islanders if there ever was one, but this game could’ve been a lot closer if not for the sieve goaltending of Varlamov.

TURNING POINT: This one was pretty much over after the first period. In addition to DeBrusk’s early goal, the Bruins got goals from Nick Foligno at 9:15 of the opening frame, and then the first of two goals from Trent Frederic at 17:19 to give the Bruins a 3-0 lead heading into the second period.

Nick Foligno gives the Bruins a 2-0 lead. He now has four points in his last two games.

pic.twitter.com/BnpbkiZdVM

— Jamie Gatlin (@JamieGatlin17) February 18, 2023

HONORABLE MENTION: Speaking of Nick Foligno and Trent Frederic, they, along with linemate A.J. Greer, were everywhere on Saturday. As expected, the fourth line trio was a physical presence and took care of things defensively, but they were an added bonus on the scoresheet as well. Foligno finished with a goal and an assist, Frederic lit the lamp twice, and Greer assisted on Foligno’s goal. Foligno now has a goal and three assists in his last two games and Frederic has scored a goal in each of his last two games to bring his career-high in goals to 13 lamplighters.

BY THE NUMBERS: 4 – As in four Boston Bruins had multi-point games on Saturday. In addition to DeBrusk, Foligno, and Frederic, defenseman Charlie McAvoy had two points as well with two assists.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “He understands open space really well and where there’s holes. His release is so high-end and he always ends up in danger scoring zones, and very rarely does he score goals from outside the dots. Great goal-scorers like him, they find ways to manufacture goals.” – Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery on Jake DeBrusk