Boston Bruins

Bruins Comeback Falls Short In OT Loss to Islanders

Published

1 week ago

January 5, 2025

Andrew Fantucchio

AP Photo/Mark Stockwell

The Boston Bruins have shown plenty of resiliency lately, just not enough.

For the second night in a row, the Bruins battled back from a two-goal deficit in the third period only to lose as they fell 5-4 in overtime to the New York Islanders at TD Garden on Sunday night.

Bo Horvat won the game for New York at 3:1o of overtime, scoring his second goal of the night as his chance off a breakaway leaked through Bruins goalie Joonas Koprisalo to extend Boston’s winless streak to four straight games.

“Considering the circumstances tonight, being down a couple of goals there and then fighting our way back in the third, it showed a good sign of resiliency for the team,” Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco said. “We would have liked to capture that extra point overtime. We had a couple of good looks before they got their one chance. But like I said, considering the circumstances, I was glad that the guys hung in there right to the very end.”

David Pastrnak scored twice in the third period to send the game to overtime.

After Anders Lee made it 4-2 Islanders at 3:41 of the period, Pastrnak responded for Boston a little over a minute later to bring the deficit back to one. He then scored again with less than six minutes left to play, knotting the score with his team-leading 17th goal of the season.

Getting a point out of the game took a valiant effort by the Bruins, but they never would’ve needed to make such a late push if not for their missteps earlier in the game.

The Bruins grabbed the lead first when Cole Koepke finished off a two-on-one odd-man rush by crashing the crease to score his seventh goal of the season at 3:01 of the first period. The Islanders challenged the call for goaltender interference, but it was upheld after a video review and sent the Bruins to the power play.

One would think it would be an opportunity for Boston to build off its early momentum, but all it did was spell disaster.

Not even 30 seconds into the power play, Horvat scored a shorthanded goal for the Islanders with a shorthanded goal off a two-on-chance of their own after the Bruins committed a turnover in the attacking end.

Ryan Pulock then put the Islanders in front two minutes later, using a heavy screen from Lee to fire a shot from the top of the right faceoff dot past Koprpisalo.

“I was all right,” said Korpisalo after making 32 saves on 37 shots. “Obviously, five goals, so not too happy. Some good saves, but I think I can shed a couple of goals away from that. Not the best game.”

Lee pushed New York’s lead to 3-1 early in the second period before Justin Brazeau answered back for the Bruins with his 10th goal of the season.

Brazeau and Pastrnak are about the only two players on the Bruins who’ve played consistently well over the course of this four-game skid, as the team has fallen to 20-17-5 after dropping five of their last six contests coming out of the holiday break.

“‘It’s always nice to score goals. You don’t take it for granted in this league, but it definitely would feel better if we ended up with a [win],” Pastrnak. “So, [I have] mixed emotions, obviously. I just want to get on a winning streak.”

The Bruins are still yet to win a game since the calendar turned to 2025. They’ll give it another go on Tuesday night when they host the Edmonton Oilers.