5 Takeaways: Islanders Grind Out 1-0 Win Over Boston

Following an uncharacteristic performance in Saturday's 5-0 loss to the New York Rangers, the Islanders looked to cleanse their palate in Monday's home opener at Nassau Coliseum in their first of eight meetings against the Boston Bruins.
They did just that, as the Islanders bounced back with a 1-0 win marking the first time since 2013 they've defeated Boston on home ice.

The game unfolded as a defensive stalemate between the two gritty opponents who battled to gain every inch of the ice. But after much patience, the Islanders were awarded and ultimately, victorious, as Jean-Gabriel Pageau delivered the victory with the sole goal of the game at 15:59 in the third period. Semyon Varlamov backstopped the Islanders to his second-straight shutout this season with 27 saves after having to miss Saturday's game due to injury.
"Boston plays a playoff-style game all the time, early, we weren't willing to play that game," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "Early, we had a lot of turnovers, didn't get a lot of shots, didn't get a lot of zone time. Then, we started playing playoff hockey against them. We were much better in the second and in the third we were good. We got a timely goal from Pageau...It was a man's game. There wasn't much room and it was probably fitting that it ended up 1-0."
Here are five takeaways:

Video: BOS@NYI: Pageau bats puck out of air for goal

1) PATIENCE PROVEN

The offense didn't come easy for the Islanders and through the first 30 minutes of action, they were outshot 14-7 by a ruthless Boston lineup. And while the Islanders had their looks throughout the game, including a second-period Pageau breakaway, a third period post from Mathew Barzal and an Anthony Beauvillier breakaway, the Islanders stuck with it.
Pageau made quite the impressive effort to deliver a dagger to the Bruins. Upon making a swift zone entry and circulating the puck east-to-west, Pageau positioned his 5-foot-10 frame in front of the crease of a lengthy 6-foot-3 Tuukka Rask. As Adam Pelech corralled Ryan Pulock's pass he slung a shot from the point on net. The shot skimmed the stick of Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron and in one smooth motion, Pageau swatted the puck out of mid-air and redirected into the back of the net.
"It was a great play by [Pelech] to get the puck to the net," Pageau said. "I think his puck could have gone in, but I got a stick on it just to be sure. It was a great effort from the whole team...We showed a lot of character. We played playoff hockey, we stuck with it and that's why we came out on top."
While the Islanders were outshot 27-17 and struggled to get in an offensive rhythm at times, they proudly claimed the crucial win and noted their comfortability in tight games like Monday's.

Video: BOS@NYI: Varlamov shuts out Bruins with 27 saves

2) VARLAMOV RETURNS

Varlamov returned between the pipes for the Islanders to record his second-straight shutout and in doing so, established a new franchise record for a shutout streak to start the season. Varlamov missed Saturday's game against the Rangers due to a freak accident sustained during warmups, when he was struck up high with a shot.
But in his return, he didn't miss a beat. With the shutout, Varlamov has now gone 1:20:00 with a clean sheet, surpassing Rick DiPietro's previous shutout streak record to start a season (1:15:35, set in 2003-04).
"He was a big reason why we got a win tonight," Trotz said. "Early, I thought he made some really good saves against a very good hockey team. He gave us a chance."
The Russian netminder weathered the periodic ambush from the Bruins in the first period, where they outshot the Islanders 11-3. Varlamov flashed leather on two long-range shots to make glove saves on Brandon Carlo and Jeremy Lauzon, respectively, following two different lengthy zone possessions by the Bruins.
During the second period, where the Islanders offensive lagged for the first 10 minutes of play. Varlamov anchored the Islanders until they created some chances on the other end and picked up steam, where they outshot Boston 7-6 by the intermission.
In the third period, Varlamov kept the score at bay 0-0 on during two-full minutes of four-one-four play that resulted from a battle along the boards between Jordan Eberle and Matt Grzelcyk. In that span, Varlamov's blocker denied a promising look from Craig Smith who collected the puck in the high slot, spun around and rifled off his shot.
"That's the best result after two games that I've ever had," Varlamov said. "I've never gotten back-to-back shutouts in the beginning of the season. I had some seasons were I felt great, but still the outcome was different. I'm pretty happy about the results."
ISLANDERS 1, BRUINS 0
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Pageau Bats in GWG
Postgame: Trotz
Postgame: Pulock & Varlamov
Postgame: Pageau & Pelech
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Listen to Pageau's Goal

3) PERFECT PENALTY KILL

The Islanders have only given up one power-play goal thus far this season through three games. Against Boston, the Islanders executed a perfect three-for-three kill against, they have now gone 16-for-17 on the man-down.
On the flip side, the Islanders power play went 0-for-5 and has now only converted on twice through 22 attempts. Special teams are an area the Islanders know could heavily influence the outcome of games this season.
"The power play was pretty tough tonight," Ryan Pulock said. "We struggled to get in and get a couple of looks, but the PK today was huge. It's been pretty solid for us to start the season. We're going to have to keep building on that. Special teams is obviously a big part of the games.

4) BACK AT THE COLI

It was nearly a full calendar year - 317 days to be exact - since the Islanders stepped on the ice at Nassau Coliseum. Monday's game marked the first on Hempstead Turnpike since March 7, 2020, when the Islanders had played their last home game for the interim leading up to the NHL's official pause issued on March 12, due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
While fans weren't permitted to be in attendance, out of precaution of the ongoing battle against the virus, the Islanders still added sentimental touches to replicate the atmosphere. In lieu of live spectators, 719 fan cutouts decorated the stands above the tarps at each end of the ice behind both of the goals. From the tarp and up until the main concourse, there was a sea of blue and orange familiar faces of the Islanders faithful symbolically cheering on the squad.
For warmups, the Islanders even made sure to display one of Patrick Dowd's, aka 'Sign Guy' encouraging blue and orange signs placed right on the glass of the Islanders tunnel as they took the ice. The Islanders showcased Dowd's most popular sign that states, 'Always Believe' with four Stanley Cups spread out between an Islanders logo in the middle.
Outside the Coliseum, a number of dedicated fans continued their tradition of tailgating in the parking lot ahead of puck drop.
It was a bittersweet and monumental milestone for the franchise and its devoted fans, as the game marked the final home opener ever at Nassau Coliseum. While the Islanders will move into their new state-of-the art home of UBS Arena next season - that was modeled to duplicate the atmosphere of the Coliseum - the Islanders will always appreciate their iconic, storied and electric memories of playing at 'The Barn' with an atmosphere like none other.

Video: Varlamov, Pageau lead Islanders to 1-0 win

5) TOUGH GAMES TO FOLLOW

The Islanders and Bruins will faceoff seven more times this season and if Monday's 'man's game' according to Trotz, was any indicator of what's to come, the games on deck will be just as challenging if not even more so. The Bruins are just one of seven challenging opponents the Islanders will have to claw through to try and clinch a previous playoff spot as a result of this year's 56-game regular season. Every game will be a 'four-point game as the Islanders like to call it, but the matches against the Bruins in particular will be physically demanding.
"It's not wide-open hockey, especially in the [East Division]," Trotz said. "The scores aren't really high, there's not much room. We recognize that there's quality teams in our division. There's not much separation and every game is a four-point game."
Not to mention that, the Bruins still have four players who were unavailable in Monday's game due to injury in reigning Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy recipient David Pastrnak, Karson Kuhlman, Steven Kampfer and Ondrej Kase, all of whom who could make a difference in the next Bruins' lineups the Islanders see over the course of the season.
"It seems like every time we play them it's pretty tight," Pulock said. "They play a structured game, a heavy game, kind of playoff hockey. We like to play that way too so it's always a great matchup whenever we play them."

NEXT GAME:

The Islanders return to Nassau Coliseum to host the New Jersey Devils. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.