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Bruins, Thomas turn away Islanders

Nov 23, 2007 - 9:14 PM By Mike Petraglia PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- In a matchup of two of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL, the Boston Bruins found a way to skate by the New York Islanders.

Glen Murray and Glen Metropolit each scored a goal as the Bruins defeated the Islanders, 2-1, at the TD Banknorth Garden on Friday.

The Bruins entered the game with just 49 goals, fourth-fewest in the NHL, while the Islanders came in ranked last with just 46 tallies. With his offense continuing to struggle in front of him, Boston goaltender Tim Thomas did his part with 25 saves in the victory.

Thomas' only mistake came at the 14:21 mark of the third period when Mike Sillinger cut a 2-0 lead in half with his third goal of the season.

A penalty against Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara with 2:05 to play in regulation made things interesting, but Thomas and the Bruins' penalty kill escaped despite a wild scramble in front of the net during the closing seconds.

"Sometimes that's what you have to do to finish up games," Thomas said. "The guys did a great job of stepping up and finishing off, making up for a penalty, whether or not it should have been called."

Trailing, 1-0, earlier in the third, New York had a golden chance to tie the game with a five-on-three power play. But the Islanders could not capitalize, managing just one shot and losing the puck several times in the offensive zone.

"It was the game, basically," Thomas said. "It was 1-0 at the time. If we give up one, it'd be hard to battle back, it would have been a much more difficult game toward the end. It gave me confidence, seeing how the guys played in front of me."

The Islanders went 0-for-3 on the power play, giving them just three goals in their last 40 chances over a span of 10 games.

"Any time you have a five-on-three, obviously, you have to score," Sillinger said. "Our power play has been a little bit dry of late. When it goes back, it goes back. We weren't executing, our passes weren't crisp. What can I say? Five-on-three, you have to score."

The Bruins opened the scoring on the power play at 17:23 of the second period as Marco Sturm centered a pass from behind the end line to Murray, who beat goaltender Rick DiPietro. Marc Savard picked up his team-leading 18th assist on the play.

"I was getting chances before they really started going in," said Murray, who has scored in two straight games after a 13-game drought. "They just kind of seem to be finding holes now. Just have to stick with it and eventually, they'll start going in."

Bruins coach Claude Julien said Murray appears to be getting his scoring touch back.

"He's working his way through it," Julien said. "He was bringing other things to the table. He was strong on defense and to me it's the best I've seen of Glen Murray as a two-way player."

DiPietro made 23 saves for the Islanders, who have not scored more than three goals in each of their last nine games.

"Our power play wasn't clicking today or the last couple of games, so we have to address that," Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. "We just have to go back to the drawing board.

"It's not about execution, it's more about working to fight to win those battles for loose pucks and to move. Right now, we're stationary and it looks like we have no confidence in our power play."

Metropolit's fourth goal of the season at 12:41 in the third looked to be the clincher against the struggling Islanders' offense, but it proved to be the game-winner after Sillinger closed the gap.