New York Islanders at Boston Bruins [Round 2, Game 1 thread]

The moment is here. The New York Islanders and Boston Bruins, survivors of the East Division “Group of Death” first round, face off for Game 1 tonight in Boston. They’re calling this just the “second round” but we can call it a division final, like the ol’ Campbell and Wales Conference days.

Game time is listed as 8 p.m. EDT, televised nationally in the U.S. on NBC, Sportsnet 360 and TVA in Canada.

Boston is easing pandemic venue restrictions just in time for the Bruins to expect a near-capacity, boisterous crowd to welcome them.

No lineup surprises. Here’s how to expect the Bruins to line up, backed by Tuukka Rask in goal:

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
Hall-Krejci-Smith
Ritchie-Coyle-DeBrusk
Kuraly-Lazar-Wagner

Grzelcyk-McAvoy
Reilly-Carlo
Lauzon-Clifton

For the Islanders, Oliver Wahlstrom remains out, so expect the same lineup that closed out the first round series with the Penguins, with first-round hero Ilya Sorokin again in net.

Komarov-Barzal-Eberle
Beauvillier-Nelson-Bailey
Zajac-Pageau-Palmieri
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck

Pelech-Pulock
Leddy-Mayfield
Greene-Dobson