• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Powerful Bruins battle Islanders

Feb 26, 2013 - 4:15 PM (Sports Network) - The Boston Bruins will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games when they visit the New York Islanders for Tuesday's battle at Nassau Coliseum.

The Bruins are on their third three-game winning streak of the season and the club hasn't won four straight since a seven-game run from Dec. 10-28 of last season. At 11-2-2 overall, the Bruins are off to their best start since 1976-77, when the club began that season with a 12-3-0 record.

Boston's last three wins have all come during a five-game road trip that ends Tuesday on Long Island. All told, the Bruins are 7-1-1 as the visiting team this season, giving them the second-most road victories in the NHL this year.

The B's most recent victory came Sunday, as Tuukka Rask made 34 saves and Boston used a balanced offensive attack to beat the Florida Panthers, 4-1. Daniel Paille, Milan Lucic, Zdeno Chara and Chris Kelly all scored for the Bruins, but it was Chara's first-period goal that had everybody talking.

Normally known for his physical play and blistering slap shot, the 6-foot-9 Chara used finesse and stick-handling to score on Sunday. He made a nifty spin move around one Florida player before sprinting towards the net and beating Florida goaltender Jacob Markstrom with a backhander.

"What can I say? It's a good hockey play and a good shot," Markstrom said. "I didn't think he was going to score, but he did. That's a good goal."

Chara said that he didn't plan the spin-o-rama in advance.

"I think it just happened," Chara said. "Obviously you can't really plan that kind of a goal, those kind of moves. My game is simple. That's not my priority. But I'm glad and happy we got a lead with that goal."

It was the third goal of the season for Chara and his first since Jan. 28.

Next up for Boston is a three-game homestand that begins Thursday against Ottawa.

The Islanders will aim for the win column Tuesday after beginning a seven-game road trip with Sunday's 4-2 loss to Carolina. New York had won two straight prior to the setback and jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period before squandering the advantage. Bobby Sanguinetti's first career goal midway through the third period eventually proved to be the game-winner for Carolina.

John Tavares and Matt Moulson each posted a goal and an assist for the Islanders. Kevin Poulin gave up three goals on 27 shots for New York, which fell to 2-7-0 as the home team in 2013.

"We didn't have any emotion at all tonight," said New York head coach Jack Capuano. "You know, we're two points out of a playoff spot and we're acting like we don't need to play hard. It's frustrating because you play so well on the road then you come back here and stink the place up in front of your fans. We all have to do a better job from the coaching staff on down."

The Isles will try to rebound against a Boston team that has won two straight, five of six and 15 of the last 19 games in this series. The Bruins alos have claimed two in a row and seven of nine at the Coliseum.