Barzal, Islanders defeat Bruins in Game 4, even series

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Mathew Barzal scored the go-ahead goal with 6:57 remaining in the third period, and the New York Islanders evened the Stanley Cup Second Round with a 4-1 win against the Boston Bruins in Game 4 at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday.

Barzal swatted a loose puck in the left face-off circle past goalie Tuukka Rask after Scott Mayfield's shot was blocked in the slot. He has scored in consecutive games after being held without a goal for the first eight games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"We go down 3-1 to these guys heading back to TD Garden, that's a death sentence," Barzal said. "That was a huge game for us tonight. Just everyone brought it. Everyone was involved somehow, whether it was scoring or hitting or playing good defense, just everyone was doing something positive. That's why we won."

Semyon Varlamov made 28 saves, and Kyle Palmieri scored for the Islanders, the No. 4 seed in the MassMutual East Division. They outshot the Bruins 13-8 in the third period.
"When you can get a little bit of momentum and not give the other team a chance to get some momentum, that's huge," New York coach Barry Trotz said. "… I liked our whole game. They're a [heck] of a hockey team, there's no question. They're very talented, they've got some exceptional people on their team. I thought we played our game. We checked well, we competed at a high level, and we got things done."
David Krejci scored for the Bruins, the No. 3 seed. Rask made 30 saves.
Game 5 of the best-of-7 series is at Boston on Monday.
"I think it has been like expected," Rask said. "If you look at the style of hockey they play throughout the year, they play a hard game, heavy game, and there's not any real estate out there. So I think it's been kind of like everybody expected it. I think the physicality has just gotten more and more intense as the series has gone on.
"I think it's a tight series. Another tight game today. Like it's been in the previous games, time and space it's tight out there, and scoring chances are tough to come by. Like the game-winning goal again, it was one of those kind of bounces here and there, and it hits the back of the net. So it's 2-2."
Krejci gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 3:57 of the second period on a rebound near the right side of the net for his first of the playoffs. The Islanders challenged that Brad Marchand interfered with Varlamov, but the goal was upheld after video review.

Palmieri one-timed a pass from behind the net by Barzal to tie it 1-1 at 6:38. It was Palmieri's fifth goal of the playoffs.
"We're two teams that want to win," Palmieri said. "Our fans were into it. We just want to go out there and compete. … We're just going to continue to play our game, and it was nice to get the win."
Varlamov made four saves during an Islanders power play at the start of the third period, including against Marchand from point-blank range at 21 seconds.
"That was huge," Trotz said. "They score there, that would've put a little bit of a question mark, I guess, and give them momentum, but they didn't, so we move past that. … I think they only had one or two chances the rest of the period."
Casey Cizikas (1:03 remaining) and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored empty-net goals (three seconds left) for the 4-1 final.
David Pastrnak had an opportunity to give the Bruins the lead at 16:58 of the first period, but his one-timer on an open-net chance from the left circle hit the far post.
"That's where you know that it might be tough night for us tonight in terms of getting things to go our way when your best player hits the post on an open net and it just kind of sits there," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "It's going to be one of those nights where you're going to probably not get breaks, so you're going to have to go earn them yourself."
NOTES: The Islanders have rallied in each of their past four victories, their longest such run in the playoffs since 1993, when they came from behind in five straight wins. … Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo did not play because of an undisclosed injury sustained in Game 3. He was replaced by defenseman Jarred Tinordi, who had two shots on goal and two blocked shots in 13:17. … Islanders forward Oliver Wahlstrom missed a fifth straight game with a lower-body injury.