Islanders thwarted by Bruins’ Hall, Rask

BOSTON — The Islanders were no match for memorable nights from the Bruins’ Taylor Hall, who scored his first goal for Boston, and Tuukka Rask, who stopped 22 shots to earn his 300th career victory in a 4-1 defeat on Thursday night.

Rask had played just once since March 7 because of a back injury. His teammates gave him an easy one, outshooting the Islanders 45-23 — including a 23-7 first period — and getting two goals from Brad Marchand and one from Craig Smith to win their second straight game.

“He looked rock solid,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We didn’t give him a heavy workload, but he was there when we needed him, and good for him.”

Travis Zajac scored his first goal for the Islanders, and Semyon Varlamov made 41 saves. The Islanders had won five of their previous six games, and trail the first-place Washington Capitals by two points in the East Division.

Boston, which won the 2020 Presidents’ Trophy after the pandemic shortened season, solidified its hold on the fourth and final playoff berth in the East, remaining four points ahead of the fifth-place Rangers.

Rask, who has played his entire 14year career in Boston, moved into 36th on the NHL’s career victory list, tied with Tomas Vokoun, one behind Mike Richter.

Boston took a 1-0 lead when Mike Reilly, who was also acquired at the trade deadline, flipped the puck in from the blue line. Patrice Bergeron chopped at it and the bouncing puck deflected off Marchand’s back and into the netting before coming right back out.

Play continued for 10 seconds before a whistle that allowed replay to award the Bruins the goal.

Boston made it 2-0 when Smith scored during a dominant power play while Brock Nelson was off for a high-sticking double-minor.

The Islanders made it a one-goal game when Mathew Barzal won a battle for the puck behind the net and spun it around to Zajac, acquired from the Devils along with Kyle Palmieri at the deadline, in the slot. It was just the Islanders’ ninth shot of the game to 24 for the Bruins.

Marchand added an empty-netter in the final two minutes.