Islanders looking ahead to Bruins, not behind to rout by Predators

Semyon Varlamov had the cure for Tuesday night’s 8-3 loss to Nashville following the Islanders’ practice in East Meadow Wednesday — amnesia.

“At this point, today’s a new day,” said the Russian goalie, who allowed three goals in relief of Thomas Greiss. “Things happen. We play a lot of games in the NHL. It’s not always going to be our way. The game (Tuesday) night, it’s just one of those days where every puck goes in. So we already forget about this game and we move on.”

So they moved on to Boston. The Islanders have the third-most points in the East and still have the least goals allowed in the NHL after yielding the most in a game since Barry Trotz took over before last season. They will try to rebound on the road against the Bruins, who own the second-most points in the conference.

The 2019 Stanley Cup finalists have been sliding, going 1-4-2 in their last seven. But the Islanders haven’t beaten them in nearly three years, dropping seven straight since Greiss blanked them, 4-0, at TD Garden on Jan. 16, 2017.

“There’s always a first for everything, so maybe (Thursday’s) the first,” Trotz said with a smile. “… They’re going through some hard times, and they’re a very good team. They’ve got everybody back.”

After the Islanders won the first two against Boston in 2016-17, they took a 2-1 loss. They fell by scores of 3-1, 5-1 and 5-2 in 2017-18, then 2-1 in a shootout, 3-1 and 5-0 last season.

“They have great veterans,” Anders Lee said. “… It’s a great hockey team over there. We’ve just had trouble finding the way. But (Thursday) is a new opportunity. It’s a new season, and I think we’re looking forward to that challenge.”

The captain indicated there wasn’t total amnesia over the Nashville debacle, saying the Islanders “found those details that we need to correct.” Then they moved on. “It’s a bad loss,” Lee said, “but we can’t dwell on it. It’s a long season.”

Trotz didn’t seem to be dwelling on it, either.

“We weren’t great,” he said, “but we weren’t as bad as 8-3 sounds.”

Still, it was so uncharacteristic of them to allow so many goals, and on just 24 shots.

“We’re not going to give up eight goals — let alone three or four goals — very often,” defenseman Devon Toews said. “So we’ll just take it in stride and go into Boston and try to win there.”

Notes & quotes: Trotz said Michael Dal Colle (upper body) is “definitely out” for the second straight game. Trotz said the forward skated and is day-to-day.