Pastrnak Hat Trick Powers 5-2 Bruins Victory Over Islanders In Front Of Near-Capacity Crowd In Game 1

BOSTON (CBS) -- Playoff hockey -- real playoff hockey is back in Boston. And the Boston Bruins have a 1-0 series lead over the Islanders.

In the first game at TD Garden with a near-capacity crowd since March of 2020, the Bruins earned themselves a 5-2 victory over the Islanders in the opening game of their second-round series.

David Pastrnak recorded a hat trick -- the 12th of his career -- for the home team, while Charlie McAvoy also scored and Taylor Hall added an empty-net goal late in the contest.. Tuukka Rask stopped 20 New York shots in the winning effort.

After an emotional pregame scene that included injured Bishop Feehan player A.J. Quetta serving as the honorary fan banner captain, the Bruins and Islanders took the ice in front of an uproarious full house for the first time since March 2020. The Bruins carried play early, outshooting the Islanders 10-3 early, but New York headed on a power play 11:02 into the first period when Charlie McAvoy was penalized for hooking during a mad scramble in front of the Boston net. It didn't take long for the Islanders to capitalize.

A Noah Dobson shot from the high slot was deflected by Anthony Beauvillier on its way toward Tuukka Rask, beating the Boston netminder and giving the visiting team a 1-0 lead.

The crowd was temporarily quieted, but that changed later in the period, when Charlie Coyle absorbed a cross-check to the face from Andy Greene. The Bruins' power play needed all of nine seconds to score, with David Pastrnak patiently waiting for the top right corner to open up on Ilya Sorokin.

Pastrnak's snipe -- his third of the playoffs -- knotted the score at one goal apiece before the end of the first period.

The game remained tied at one through the midway point of the second period, when Pastrnak struck again. This time, Sorokin kicked a rebound on a Bergeron shot to the left faceoff circle, where Pastrnak was waiting. Pastrnak loaded up his shot, and scored.

The Boston lead was short-lived, though. Just 86 seconds later, after Connor Clifton stifled a potential Mathew Barzal chance, the puck made its way to the blue line. Adam Pelech sent a missile through traffic that rose over Rask's shoulder and into the back of the net, tying the game at 2-2.

The Bruins killed a penalty for too many men on the ice early in the third period, and seconds after time expired on that New York power play, McAvoy unleashed a bomb from the blue line that made its way to the back of the net to give Boston a 3-2 lead.

Pastrnak then put the game away with a great individual effort, carrying the puck into the Islanders' zone before ripping a shot past Sorokin to record a hat trick.

After the Islanders were whistled for tripping at the 16:43 mark of the third period, Taylor Hall scored into an empty net with 1:25 left in the game.

Bruins second-line winger Craig Smith suffered a lower-body injury in the second period and didn't return to the game.

Game 2 of this best-of-seven series will be Monday night, back at the TD Garden, at 7:30 p.m.

In:
• Boston Bruins
• NHL
• Tuukka Rask