BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- After beating the New York Islanders 5-1 Tuesday night at Barclays Center, the Boston Bruins are 10-1-2 in its last 13 games and have earned points in nine straight with a 7-0-2 record.
Danton Heinen, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari (empty net) all scored for the Bruins, while Tuukka Rask finished with 25 saves. He's 11-0-1 in his last 12 starts.
The lone goal the Bruins allowed was the first even-strength goal against Bergeron's line this season.
Pregame notes
Masked men: Tuukka Rask enters tonight's game with a career-best 11-game point streak with a 10-0-1 record. He has a 1.29 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage in his last 12 games. Overall, he's 13-8-3 with a 2.13 and a .923, including two shutouts in 25 games this season. He's 11-5-0 with a 2.30 GAA and a .929 SP in 17 career games against the Islanders. Jaroslav Halak will start for the Islanders. He's 11-10-2 with a 3.15 GAA and a .905 SP in 24 games this season. He owns an 8-7-0 record in 15 career games against the Bruins.
First star: For his recent heroics, Rask was named the NHL's first star of the month for December. Islanders' Josh Bailey was second and Lighting's Nikita Kucherov finished third. Rask allowed two or fewer goals in 10 of his 11 games last month. He also became the second goalie in Bruins history to earn 40 career shutouts, behind Tiny Thompson's 74.
No worries: David Pastrnak enters tonight's game with a nine-game scoreless drought. It hasn't been too much of a big deal because the Bruins are getting secondary scoring and the team is winning. He's not even worried about it.
"I need to be stronger, faster, heavier and more talented," he said with a laugh after the team's morning skate. "I really don't think about it. We're playing great hockey, so there's nothing to worry about."
Observations from the third period
- Acciari adds an empty-netter.
- Boston's fourth line has been awesome tonight and Tim Schaller gives the Bruins a 4-1 lead. Sean Kuraly has been all over the ice tonight in a good way.
- Brad Marchand gives the Bruins a 3-1 lead. It's his 16th of the season. The top line needed that goal.
- 4-on-4 for 1:19.
- Brandon Carlo starts the period with a turnover when he had plenty of time to get the puck deep.
- Zdeno Chara normally doesn't show discomfort, but he's shaken up after blocking that slap shot from the point. The puck caught him near the collarbone.
- That's a perfect shift by the fourth line. Created a sustained forecheck and kept the Islanders stuck in their end.
- Patrice Bergeron ricochets one off Halak's skate for a 2-1 Bruins lead.
- Halak pimping that glove save on Pastrnak. Then there was a stare down.
- I spoke with Brad Marchand today about his improved ability to possess the puck under pressure. That last rush was a perfect example of his confidence when the puck is on his stick. He's made it a point the last few offseasons to work on his hands. Story to come.
- Kuraly is so much fun to watch on the PK. He thrives in this situation. He's producing a solid all-around game too.
- The Islanders begin the period with nine seconds remaining on the PP.
- Carlo with a tripping penalty with 1:51 remaining in the period. It's been a tough opening 20 minutes for the second-year defenseman.
- Bruce Cassidy was testing the bounce off the end walls prior to the team's morning skate, and already a couple of times the Bruins have attempted an intentional shot wide.
- Bruins 0-for-1 on the PP.
- Let's see if the Bruins' power play can carry over from Saturday night when it went 3-for-4 against the Senators.
- Again, Ryan Spooner is engaged.
- A miscue by Carlo off a defensive-zone faceoff win for the Bruins as he turns the puck over and Jordan Eberle ties it at 1-1. It's those types of plays that could land Carlo on press level and Adam McQuaid back in the lineup.
- Guess who? Danton Heinen from Riley Nash right off the faceoff to the right of Halak to give Boston a 1-0 lead. It's Heinen's 10th of the season.
- You can tell Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci are forming decent chemistry because the rookie is even skating like the veteran now.