BOSTON – It’s probably a good time to start calling the Islanders and goalie Semyon Varlamov "unflappable."
The Bruins had more dangerous chances – too many dangerous chances – and often flustered the Islanders into defensive-zone turnovers. But the Islanders, after a rocky start and a nail-biting finish, are on the brink of advancing to the NHL semifinals for the second straight season thanks to Varlamov and their power play.
The Islanders won Game 5, 5-4, on Monday night before 17,400 at TD Garden to take a 3-2 lead in the second-round series. Game 6 is Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum.
Varlamov made 40 saves and the Islanders went 3-for-4 on the man advantage. It’s the first time since April 23, 2002 the Islanders have scored at least three power-play goals in a playoff game and the first time ever under coach Barry Trotz.
Still, David Pastrnak’s second goal on a one-timer from the left circle off defenseman Charlie McAvoy’s feed, this one on the power play, brought the Bruins within 5-3 at 3:48 of the third period. David Krejci then stuffed the puck past Varlamov from the right post to make it a one-goal game at 14:43.
Jeremy Swayman replaced Tuukka Rask to start the third period after the Bruins goalie allowed four goals on 16 shots. But Brock Nelson made it 5-2 at 1:59 on the Islanders’ third shot on Swayman.
Kyle Palmieri started the Islanders’ three-goal second period with their second power-play goal as Josh Bailey’s feed went off defenseman Connor Clifton’s skate and right to him at the left post at 4:49. Brad Marchand retied the game at 2 with a spectacular individual effort, skating around defenseman Ryan Pulock and then pushing the puck around Varlamov at 7:27.
But Bailey regained a 3-2 lead at 14:30 as Jean-Gabriel Pageau found him open in the low slot. Trotz split up Nelson’s line with Anthony Beauvillier and Bailey after the trio was on ice for the Bruins’ first two goals.
Jordan Eberle, beating Rask over his glove from the left circle, made it 4-2 on the power play at 16:38.
The Bruins caught the Islanders with a strong push to start the game, leaving them on their heels and having extreme difficult clearing their own zone.
The Bruins scored the first goal for the fourth straight game – Varlamov has allowed the first goal in all six of his postseason starts – as Pastrnak connected at 1:25 of the first period. It was the Bruins’ third shot and though Varlamov was screened, it marked the fifth time in the postseason he’d been beaten on one of the first three shots.
"There’s probably not a guy that understands himself and the game, the process of being a goalie in the NHL," Trotz said. "Goaltending is one of those positions where, if you don’t have that trigger where you can understand it, why maybe you had the night that you did or the goal goes in that you don’t expect, and how to shake those off, then you find goaltenders that really go into those long slumps."
Marchand did nearly make it 2-0 at 3:51, pushing the puck through the crease from the right post instead of stuffing it in.
But the Islanders slowly slowed the Bruins and tied it at 1 on Mathew Barzal’s rising shot on the power play at 18:49 of the first period. Sean Kuraly had been whistled for a questionable slashing call on defenseman Noah Dobson on the Islanders’ first dangerous chance of the period.
