Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored with 4:09 remaining in the game and Semyon Varlamov recorded his second shutout of the season to lift the New York Islanders to a 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday at Uniondale, N.Y.
Varlamov made 27 saves in his return after being injured in warmups prior to Saturday's 5-0 setback against the New York Rangers. He stopped all 24 shots he faced in a 4-0 win over the Rangers in the season opener on Thursday.
Locked in a defensive struggle, New York made the most of a fortunate carom to deliver the game's lone goal late in the third period.
Defenseman Adam Pelech's blast from the point caromed off the blade of the stick of Boston captain Patrice Bergeron, and Pageau alertly batted the puck out of the air and over the right shoulder of Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask. The goal was Pageau's first of the season.
Defenseman Ryan Pulock was also credited with an assist for the Islanders, who snapped a 10-game winless skid at home against the Bruins. New York last registered a home victory over Boston on Nov. 2, 2013.
Rask finished with 16 saves for the Bruins, who are now 9-1-1 in their last 11 encounters with the Islanders.
Both teams failed to convert their first three power-play opportunities through two periods before New York nearly converted on its fourth early in the third. Mathew Barzal's bid to open the scoring from in close hit the crossbar, however.
New York kept the pressure on, although Rask denied Anthony Beauvillier on a breakaway midway into the third period.
Boston outshot New York by an 11-3 margin during a fruitless first period and nearly opened the scoring in the second, save for three strong stops from Varlamov. The Russian goaltender denied David Krejci and Bergeron from in close and absorbed Nick Ritchie's one-timer from the right faceoff circle.
Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk exited the game early in the third period after he appeared to land awkwardly on his left arm following an exchange with Jordan Eberle. Grzelcyk was playing in his 200th career game.
--Field Level Media
