Hall Scores Again, Swayman Solid As Bruins Blank Islanders
BOSTON (AP) — Taylor Hall scored his second goal in two nights, Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots in his first career shutout and the Boston Bruins beat the Islanders 3-0 on Friday, their second win over New York in two nights.
David Pastrnak added his 17th goal of the season and Curtis Lazar had a late empty-netter as Boston won its third straight overall and put more distance between itself and the idle New York Rangers for the East Division's final playoff spot.
Ilya Sorokin had 21 saves for the Islanders, who have lost three of four.
All three of Boston's trade deadline pickups — Hall, Lazar and Mike Reilly — contributed. Coach Bruce Cassidy said their collective production over the past three games is proof that general manager Don Sweeney "obviously identified areas of need."
"Three really good fits for our hockey club," Cassidy said. "A real nice deadline day for the Bruins and credit to Donnie and his guys."
Hall has brought a spark to Boston's lineup since the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner came over from Buffalo at the deadline.
"I think he's an elite player," Pastrnak said. "Really good. It's great to have him and he's proving it the last few games."
Coming off a 4-1 win on Thursday night, the Bruins were again solid defensively, turning back all five of New York's power play chances.
Boston took a 2-0 lead 47 seconds into the second period when Hall tipped in his fourth goal of the season off a feed from David Krejci.
New York's Michael Dal Colle, who returned to action following a nine-game absence for a lower-body injury, said Friday's setback wasn't for a lack of chances.
"I thought we played hard today. We had some good looks," Dal Colle said.
Boston scored the game's first goal with just 2.4 seconds remaining in the first.
Reilly took a pass from Patrice Bergeron and slipped it between Kyle Palmieri and Scott Mayfield to Pastrnak as he waited at the top of the slot. Pastrnak controlled it and placed his snap shot just under the crossbar.
The teams meet one final time this season on May 10 in Boston.
"This is the group that is going to be here until the end of the season, so you're trying to build something special," Pastrnak said.
EARLY CHALLENGES
Swayman had three great stops in the opening period.
New York center Brock Nelson got the puck at center ice and tapped it back to a cutting Michael Dal Colle, who got free for a point-blank shot in the slot. But Swayman handled the wrist shot, blocking it with his shoulder.
Later, when Nelson led a 2-on-1 break and got it ahead to Anthony Beauvillier, his shot also was smothered by Swayman, who slid in to deflect it off his shin guard.
Swayman denied Beauvillier again late in the period when he spun around and caught him trying poke in a loose puck in front of the net.
The goalie credited a teammate for some of his success.
"I get to watch one of the best goalies in the world and that's Tuukka Rask," Swayman said. It's really fun to watch him and I've learned so much from him in the short time I've been around him."
UP NEXT
Islanders: At Philadelphia on Sunday.
Bruins: Host Washington on Sunday.
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