Recap: Bruins bounce back, but ultimately fall to Islanders, 5-4, in OT

Yesterday at 11:41 PM

David Pastrnak answered with two third-period goals as the B's earn a point.

The New York Islanders capitalized on their first chance in overtime, handing the Boston Bruins a 5-4 loss despite the Bruins' grind to earn the extra point at the TD Garden on Sunday night.

The Bruins responded in the third period after playing catch up the first 40 minutes.

David Pastrnak answered for the Bruins with a pair of goals in the final frame to tie the game which ultimately forced overtime.

"Considering the circumstances tonight and you know, being down a couple of goals there and then fighting our way back in the third showed a good sign of resiliency for the team," Interim head coach Joe Sacco said.

The Bruins got on the board first with Cole Koepke crashing the net, but the Islander's challenged Koepke's goal from goaltender interference and changed the first period. What was an unsuccessful challenge became a two-goal swing for the Islanders as Bo Horvat netted a shorthanded goal early on their penalty kill and then Ryan Pulock scored moments after returning to even strength.

The Islanders continued to outplay the Bruins into the second period, outshooting the B's 17-9 in the middle frame while the Bruins struggled connecting on passes.

Anders Lee cushioned his team's lead early in the second before Justin Brazeau brought the Bruins back within one score at the halfway point.

But the Bruins were still playing from behind in the third period after Lee's netted his second of the night until Pastrnak sent a blast into the net 54 seconds later for his first of two third-period goals.

The Bruins held on to the tie and had four chances to put the game away in overtime, but a lucky bounce found the stick of Horvat where he raced in all alone on Joonas Korpisalo and just beat him between his blocker and right pad.

Here are the highlights:

First period:

Mark Kastelic carried the puck down the left-wing boards, sent it out front where the backhanded dish found Cole Koepke crashing the net at 3:01 of the first period. 1-0 Bruins.

Just 21 seconds into the Bruins power play for the Isles' unsuccessful goaltender interference challenge, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Bo Horvat ended up on a 2-on-1. Pageau sent a pass to Horvat for a snap shot past Joonas Korpisalo at 3:21 of the first period with a shorthanded goal. 1-1 game.

Moments after the Bruins' power play expires, Ryan Pulock's long shot from the point beat Korpisalo at 5:33 of the first period. 2-1 Islanders.

Second period:

Anders Lee practically walking into the left-wing circle with no pressure on him to throw a snap shot past Korpisalo's glove at 4:11 of the second period. 3-1 Islanders.

Andrew Peeke found Justin Brazeau at the inside right hash marks for a one-timer snap shot past Ilya Sorokin at 10:18 of the second period. 3-2 game.

Third period:

Alexander Romanov found Lee out front who switched to his backhand to put a shot past Korpisalo at 3:41 of the third period. 4-2 Islanders.

Morgan Geekie fed a pass to David Pastrnak who blasted a one-timer from the left-wing circle past Sorokin at 4:35 of the third period. 4-3 game.

Pastrnak tied the game tapping in a feed from Pavel Zacha at the back door at 12:44 of the third period. 4-4 game.

Overtime:

After a chance from Brad Marchand, Bo Horvat picked up the loose puck and skated in on Joonas Korpisalo to beat him blocker side. Final score: 5-4 Islanders.

Game notes:

• Call it fatigue from back-to-back games or three games in four days or whatever you want, the Bruins just looked tired. The B's had a hard time connecting on passes throughout the game and frustration definitely mounted. But the Bruins did keep at it and grinded it out, especially in the third period when Pastrnak, Zacha and Geekie came up big for the team with their efforts.
• Pastrnak's two-goal night was his second back-to-back multi-goal night, having recorded two goals as well against Toronto on Saturday.
• "We had a good couple looks before they had their one chance," Sacco said postgame. The B's had some good looks in overtime, but that's how overtime goes with so much open space and the puck bouncing out to end up on your opponents stick.
• David Pastrnak talked after about how he shouldn't have changed things up on his shot. "I had so much speed," Pastrnak said. "I should have just go to forehand, you know, try to put the pressure on the goalie to match my speed...Looking back, I think if I put it to the forehand, I don't think he could match the speed I had...Honestly I should have went forehand and, you know, try to see if anything open up and stay on the strong side so definitely I regret that one was all alone, could put the game away."
• The Bruins return to the ice on Tuesday when the Edmonton Oilers come to town for a 7 p.m. tilt.