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.
Robin Lehner made 24 saves for the Islanders (30-16-6), and Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots for the Bruins (29-17-7).
"Get away from that pure work ethic, accountability and detail, you're not going to have success in this league," Trotz said. "You might win some games but you're not going to do damage. You've still got to put your work boots on."
The loss snapped the Islanders' season-high point streak after a 6-0-2 surge.
The Islanders went 1 for 5 on the power play but could not net the equalizer on a four-minute man advantage after Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was called for both tripping and slashing Jordan Eberle at 11:41 of the third period.
The Bruins went ahead 2-1 at 6:34 of the third. Defenseman Kevan Miller was able to keep the puck in at the right point, and Peter Cehlarik was able to lift the puck over a prone Lehner at the crease.
Lehner entered the game leading the NHL with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. He started his outstanding run in a 2-1 shootout loss at Boston on Nov. 29, making 35 saves that night. He is 12-3-3 since.
Lehner was at his acrobatic best at 18:39 of the second period as, going belly down onto the ice, he twisted and reached up with his blocker and stick to deflect Bergeron's shot from the slot over the crossbar.
Bergeron gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 2:32 of the second after a slow defensive reaction by the Islanders forced Lehner to stretch with his left pad and stop David Pastrnak at the crease. The puck stayed loose as Lehner was shaken up and Bergeron knocked in the rebound.
But the Islanders, on their third power play after going 0 for 8 on the man advantage the last three games, tied it at 1 at 16:40 as Eberle got free at the left post.
Rask had preserved the Bruins' one-goal lead on the Islanders' first power play of the second period. He smothered Anders Lee's chance at the crease at 10:45, then denied Anthony Beauvillier from below the right circle just as Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo was exiting the penalty box.
The Islanders survived a first period in which they were not at their fastest or their smartest. They took three unnecessary penalties to put the Bruins' third-ranked power play on the ice for six minutes.
Brock Nelson hooked Carlo along the end boards in the Bruins' zone at 9:43 and, just as he exited the penalty box, defenseman Ryan Pulock slashed David Krejci at 11:51. Finally, defenseman Scott Mayfield took an obvious cross check on Sean Kuraly behind the Islanders' crease at 15:04.
Lehner kept it even as he sprawled to stop Krejci from the low slot at 16:02 on an open look.
