Islanders 2, Bruins 1
BOSTON -- Josh Bailey scored twice and the New York Islanders continued their surge toward the playoffs with a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
Mark Streit had two assists and Evgeny Nabakov stopped 30 shots for the Islanders, who are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games as they try to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2007. With seven games remaining in the regular season, the Islanders have at least a point in six straight games.
Tyler Seguin scored for the Bruins, who hadn't lost at home in regulation since the Montreal Canadiens won 4-3 in Boston on March 3.
Tuukka Rask made 34 saves for Boston, but could not contain a shot by Bailey that hit him in the chest and found its way into the goal to break a 1-all tie with 6:41 left in the second. It turned out to be the game winner as Nabakov shut down the Bruins the rest of the way.
Jaromir Jagr had an assist for his sixth point as a member of the Bruins.
Seguin scored for the second night in a row for the Bruins. He also scored Wednesday in a 5-4 win at New Jersey after Boston had let a 4-0 lead slip to 4-3. The Bruins came out strong again Thursday with 16 shots in the opening period, but trailed 1-0 after one on Bailey's goal in the final minute.
Seguin tied it at 1-1 on a power-play goal 3:41 into the second on a one-timer from the side of the net off a pass from Gregory Campbell.
The lead lasted until Bailey added his second goal of the game, putting the Islanders up 2-1 with 6:41 left in the second. Bailey grabbed the puck after a turnover by Adam McQuaid inside the Boston zone and fired a shot that hit Rask and carried through his pads into the net.
Although the Islanders were outshot 16-9 in the first period, New York grabbed a 1-0 lead when Bailey scored with 21 seconds left in the period on a slap shot. Streit had an assist with a nice drop pass after skating the puck from the Islanders' zone to the Bruins', setting up Bailey's one-time blast that beat Rask high to the glove side.
NOTES: Seguin's goal in the second period ended the Islanders' streak of six straight games without allowing a power-play goal. Jagr's assist on Seguin's goal in the second was his sixth point in five games since Boston picked him up in a trade with Dallas. ... Although the Bruins have not officially clinched a postseason berth, the club announced Thursday that tickets for the first three playoff games in Boston will go on sale Tuesday. ... The Bruins, who beat New Jersey 5-4 on Wednesday, were playing their last back-to-back games of the lockout shortened season. With seven games remaining in the regular season, the Islanders have five more on the road.