The Islanders did a bad job of hiding how they really felt on Thursday morning. 

The night before, the NHL had announced a — hopefully temporary — return to last year’s COVID-19 protocols amid a slew of positive tests. Mathew Barzal became the latest Islander to test positive for the virus on Tuesday in Detroit, though they’ve been lucky to avoid any others since. 

Their opponent on Thursday, the Bruins, came to New York with six players in COVID protocol: Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Jeremy Swayman, Anton Blidh, Trent Frederic and Craig Smith. A Bruins staff member also entered protocol Thursday morning, before the Islanders notched a 3-1 victory. 

The NHL has postponed games with a similar number of positives. All of the uncertainty of last winter has rushed back. 

“I can probably speak for every human on the planet,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz. “It’s a little disappointing we have to go back.” 

According to a statement released by the team, the booster shot has been offered to the team and the organization “will continue to educate and recommend that everyone consider receiving [it].” Trotz told media that the entire team had received the booster, which had to be walked back about two hours after he spoke on Thursday. 

And yet, they’ll be masking up and distancing in their facilities, testing daily and waiting for results to confirm they can continue to play. 

Asked if it felt like they were moving backwards, Zach Parise paused. 

“In some sense,” he said. “You know what? I think the league is doing its best, the best it can to get the games [played], to make sure guys are able to play with the testing that’s happening. At the end of the day, we want to be healthy and play the games.” 

Added Trotz: “I don’t think you want to see everybody go back to lock-down situations. No one does. We’ve had a lot of it. It’s a new reality. I look back at generations before us. We’re dealing with COVID. Generations before us have dealt with a lot worse than we have. Everything from world wars to pandemics in the past that didn’t have the technology that we have now. So we’re a little soft, and we get frustrated a little easier. But it’s the reality.” 

Kyle Palmieri wasn’t on the bench at the start of the third period, missing the rest of the game with a lower-body injury. According to Trotz, Palmieri is day-to-day. He played 9:12 against the Bruins, recording two shots on goal. 

After playing center earlier in the week with Barzal out, Parise returned to the wing on Thursday with Austin Czarnik up from AHL Bridgeport. 

“I’m happy to bounce around wherever,” Parise said pregame. “I don’t really care where I end up in the lineup and fill holes where they needed to be. But back on the wing tonight. It’s definitely different especially in the defensive zone. The coverage is different [at center] than playing on the wing.” 

Robin Salo recorded his first NHL assist on Anthony Beauvillier’s second-period goal. 

Butch Goring returned to the MSG Networks’ broadcast booth, earning a round of applause from fans when shown on the big screen at UBS Arena.