The New York Islanders are fighting for respectability and a chance to climb into the playoff race after a season of relatively mediocre hockey. The Boston Bruins have been one of the top teams in the NHL throughout the season, having the second-highest point total in the Eastern Conference. While the two teams are clearly at different levels, Kyle Palmieri of the Islanders scored a natural hat trick in the first period as New York built a 3-0 lead in the first period.

Palmieri became the third Islander in team history to score a natural hat trick — three straight goals by one player — in the first period. He also became the first Islander in 17 years to accomplish the feat.

The other New York players to achieve first period natural hat tricks are Derek King and Mick Vukota.

As the game started, the Islanders beat the Bruins to every loose puck and they were able to take advantage of their alert play and Boston's sleepy start. Palmieri opened the scoring with a wrist shot at the 3:32 mark of the first period.

Less than two minutes later, the Islanders took advantage of a Bruins penalty and Palmieri jumped on a rebound by snapping the puck into the top of the net past goaltender Linus Ullmark.

Kyle Palmieri completed the hat trick when his wrist shot from the slot was fired into a wide open net at the 12:19 mark of the period.

The Bruins displayed little push back and no urgency throughout the first period. Boston had a power play opportunity late in the period, but it was the Islanders who had two short-handed opportunities that Ullmark repelled.

The Islanders have won two games in a row going into the game with the Bruins, while Boston has lost three of four.