Need to Know: Bruins vs. Islanders

BOSTON - The Bruins will be searching for their first win of the season against the New York Islanders on Thursday night when they open up a back-to-back set against the Isles at TD Garden. Boston has lost all five (0-3-2) previous matchups.
"They've outplayed us in the third period. You've got to play winning hockey against good teams at crunch time. They've been better than us in that area for whatever reason," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "It's been a number of different reasons, it's been shorthanded goals, it's been turnovers in the front of our net. There's been different things. Overtime we got beat, we weren't ready for speed.
"Give them credit. We just have to be better. I think we've been in every game with them. That's typically how it goes with the Islanders with us anyway. Two fairly structured teams that don't give you a lot. I anticipate it will be a lot more of the same tonight."
Here's everything else you need to know for the 7 p.m. puck drop on NESN and 98.5 The Sports Hub:

Rask Back In

Tuukka Rask will make his first start since March 25 - also against the Islanders - when he lasted just one period after a re-aggravation of his upper-body injury. Overall, the netminder has missed 17 of Boston's last 18 games.
"I don't know that I can sit here unequivocally and say, 'Yeah, he's dealt with the rigors of battling through, finding pucks, traffic," said Cassidy, referencing Rask's readiness for game action. "That's the physical part of being a goaltender. That's something we're just gonna have to find out on the fly here.
"As for stopping the puck, technically, all that stuff, he's fine, he's good. He has practiced now for a while with us with no setbacks. Until he gets through the game action, we just don't know. Tonight will be his first test."

On the Back End

Jakub Zboril will return to the lineup after sitting out Tuesday's win over Buffalo as a healthy scratch. Kevan Miller, meanwhile, will be sidelined on Thursday night after waking up with an ailment unrelated to his knee issue, which was already expected to keep him out of at least one end of the back-to-back against the Islanders.
"It's actually incredible the way that he's come back this year with what he's gone through, the time that he's missed," Brad Marchand said of Miller's comeback. "From Day 1, he hasn't missed a beat. He almost looks better than he ever has with how strong he is, how he competes. He's just such a hard player to play against and he gives us so much energy and confidence back there. He really controls the D corps and allows them to feel comfortable back there, calms him down if things aren't going great. He's a big leader for our group.
"He just has such a presence on the ice. Guys want to stay away from him. They don't want to go in the corner with him. He has a sneak offensive side to him as well…he's a huge player for our group, one we definitely miss when he's out. Just been so unfortunate for him. He's had so many bad breaks and tough things that are happening.
"But he has such a great mindset, been so strong mentally to be able to go through it and just come out positive and continue to push. We're lucky to have him."
Cassidy said there would be no changes to the forward group.

Opposing View

The Islanders acquired forwards Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac and defenseman Braydon Coburn at the trade deadline, adding to an already potent lineup that has helped the Isles (27-11-4, 58 points) to second place in the East Division, two points back of Washington for the top spot.
The Islanders have won five of six to start April, including a 3-2 overtime victory over the Rangers on Sunday night. Palmieri, always a thorn in the Bruins side, scored his first goal with the Islanders in the win.
"He's just another good player in their lineup - and Zajac, for that matter," said Cassidy. "We know that. They've got a lot of them. Palmieri with Jersey has scored some goals against us. Some of them are just him going to the net. That's how the Islanders do score.
"I suspect he'll get some looks because of that, too…we have to be aware of that. He's done a good job against us. But they're a solid team top to bottom. We just have to play the full 60 against them."
Mathew Barzal paces the Islanders with 37 points in 42 games, while Brock Nelson leads the team with 15 goals.

By the Numbers

• Charlie Coyle is one point shy of 300 for his career.
• David Pastrnak is four goals shy of 200 for his career.

Thursday's Projected Lineup

FORWARDS
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Taylor Hall - David Krejci - Craig Smith
Nick Ritchie - Charlie Coyle - Jake DeBrusk
Sean Kuraly - Curtis Lazar - Chris Wagner
DEFENSEMEN
Jeremy Lauzon - Charlie McAvoy
Mike Reilly - Connor Clifton
Jakub Zboril - Steven Kampfer
GOALIES
Tuukka Rask
Jeremy Swayman