New York faces conference foe Boston

Boston Bruins (14-9-2, fourth in the Atlantic) vs. New York Islanders (7-12-5, eighth in the Metropolitan)

Elmont; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST

LINE: Islanders -109, Bruins -112

BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Conference foes New York and Boston take the ice.

The Islanders are 3-9-2 in Eastern Conference games. New York averages 11.5 penalty minutes per game, the second-most in the NHL. Zdeno Chara leads the team serving 53 total minutes.

The Bruins are 6-3-1 against opponents from the Atlantic. Boston ranks 10th in the Eastern Conference averaging 2.8 goals per game, led by Brad Marchand with 11.

The teams square off Thursday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Mathew Barzal leads the Islanders with 12 assists and has 17 points this season. Oliver Wahlstrom has three goals and five assists over the last 10 games for New York.

Patrice Bergeron leads the Bruins with a plus-six in 25 games this season. Marchand has three goals and four assists over the last 10 games for Boston.

LAST 10 GAMES: Islanders: 2-5-3, averaging two goals, 3.8 assists, 4.2 penalties and 11.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game with a .914 save percentage.

Bruins: 5-3-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 3.9 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.5 penalty minutes while allowing 2.1 goals per game with a .934 save percentage.

INJURIES: Islanders: None listed.

Bruins: Brandon Carlo: day to day (lower body).

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