Rough Third Period Costs Bruins on Long Island

UNIONDALE, N.Y. - At this point, the Bruins would probably be just fine not seeing the inside of the Nassau Coliseum again this season.
After dropping their first two road games against the New York Islanders, things somehow managed to get worse on Thursday night with a third-period meltdown that cost the B's in what turned into a 7-2 setback.

"Well, there wasn't any, so you know that's a problem," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said when asked about the team's lack of urgency. "You don't usually see that with our club…they were just harder in front of our net. They kept playing, we didn't. Just discouraging."
With the game tied, 2-2, heading into the third, the Islanders scored five unanswered in the final frame, including four goals in a span of just under six minutes. Anthony Beauvillier got it started at 5:41 of the third off a turnover by Trent Frederic on the doorstep, before the Islanders struck for four more - including a shorthanded marker - to blow things open.
Four of the five third-period goals were unassisted, highlighting Boston's struggles with turnovers and a lack of structure in their own end.
"We didn't execute very well," said Cassidy, whose team has now lost three of its last four. "We got down on ourselves, tried to do too much there, a couple of pinches, shorthanded goal against, so there's a third and fourth and fifth. We just didn't stick with it.
"We gave up a third goal that a young kid just got caught a little bit not moving his feet, then we pressed, made some mistakes giving their top players time and space and they buried us."

Stranded on an Island

The Bruins have now lost four times in regulation this season, with the three of the losses coming against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. All of the games were tied heading into the third period.
"We did our best work the first time in here, was a 1-0, they got a fortunate deflection," said Cassidy. "I'd like to think when we're on our game, where you know we're pretty structured and responsible, we can put teams away.
"They beat us at our own game a little bit, in terms of not beating yourself. I thought tonight was a really good example…give them credit, they capitalize on their opportunities."

Subject to Change

Cassidy was not yet ready to commit to any lineup changes for Friday night's game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. He did not believe that the injured Matt Grzelcyk, who skated on Thursday morning, would be ready to re-enter the lineup.
"I don't know I haven't thought about it," Cassidy said in regard to any lineup tweaks. "Obviously on D we have Steven Kampfer who's healthy. "I don't believe Matt Grzelcyk is ready…up front, I don't know, we'll look at the game a little closer. I don't want to be rash with a good hockey club in there and we want to give players an opportunity to atone.
"I don't think our top guys gave us a whole lot tonight but we're not going to take them out of the lineup, they're guys we rely on every night and I assume they'll be better tomorrow.
"Bottom of the lineup we could look at that but most of the time around here we've tried to give guys an opportunity to bounce back. Guys in the room know that they weren't at their best for 60 minutes so sometimes it's good to get right back at it."