Islanders’ task still the same: Containing Bruins’ Perfection Line

Limiting the Penguins’ top line of Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust was key to the Islanders’ first-round series victory, but the Bruins’ first unit is shaking out to be an entirely different animal.

The Perfection Line, as the combo of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak is often called, not only won the opener of this second-round playoff series behind Pastrnak’s hat trick, but also erased the Islanders’ two-goal lead in the third period of Game 2 on Monday night with goals from Bergeron and Marchand to force overtime. Just when it looked like the Bruins trio had spearheaded another triumph, Casey Cizikas, the center of the Islanders’ own trademarked Identity Line (also including Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck), came through on a breakaway at 14:48 of the extra period for the 4-3 win that knotted the series at one game apiece.