The Islanders don’t have a Perfection Line, the Bruins’ dominating top trio of Patrice Bergeron between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Nor do they have a former Hart Trophy winner, as the Bruins do with Taylor Hall.
Still, these second-round playoff opponents are strikingly similar in the way they want to play.
"Both teams bring a high intensity and a high compete," Mathew Barzal said after the Islanders practiced at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow on Friday. "That would be the two biggest things that are the similarities between us. You watch a Boston Bruins game, it’s heavy, it’s fast, just intense hockey.