BOSTON _ Barry Trotz, channeling Al Pacino's football coach from "Any Given Sunday," has been fond lately of talking about fighting for the inches needed to win games.
The Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders came up just short Tuesday night in a 3-1 loss to the Bruins at TD Garden, missing out on a lengthy third-period power play after having a potential go-ahead goal waved off. The Islanders thought they had gone ahead 2-1, but Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy successfully challenged that defenseman Devon Toews was offside on Cal Clutterbuck's shot off a three-on-two rush at 4:52 of the third.
Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, playing in his 1,000th NHL regular-season game, scored two goals, including an empty-netter with 54.9 seconds remaining to clinch it.
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