If the Islanders are the New York Saints — and the boisterous Nassau Coliseum crowd embraced that unwitting rebranding courtesy of opposing coach Bruce Cassidy, chanting it repeatedly right through the final buzzer — then the Bruins are the Ain’ts.
They ain’t in the playoffs anymore.
The Islanders advanced to the NHL semifinals for the second straight season for the first time since 1983-84 with a thorough 6-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night before a crowd of 12,000 in Game 6.
The Islanders now face a rematch against the Central Division champion Lightning. The defending Stanley Cup champions eliminated the Islanders in six games in last season’s Eastern Conference finals.