Bruins Forward Thrilled With Fresh Start Before Islanders Reunion

BOSTON — Oliver Wahlstrom knows the Bruins’ opponent Sunday night all too well. The forward spent the first six seasons of his NHL career with the New York Islanders and prepares to face them for the first time.

“It’s exciting,” Wahlstrom told reporters at TD Garden. “I have a lot of close buddies over there. I miss them. It’s going to be fun for sure to see everyone.”

Wahlstrom visited teammates prior to the game and showed his appreciation for his first NHL franchise. The forward racked up 36 goals in that span and emerged before the Bruins claimed him in December. The transition from Eastern Conference teams marked a moment of growth for the 24-year-old.

“I think it was really healthy for sure,” Wahlstrom admitted. “Just to see a different culture. It was really beneficial for me. The Islanders were so good to me. I thank them all for everything. They drafted me.”

The Bruins are 3-4-1 since Wahlstrom joined the squad and fired eight shots on goal and a perfect faceoff percentage. He believes Boston is close to turning a corner under interim head coach Joe Sacco.

“It’s been awesome,” Wahlstrom added. “Great group of guys. Just learning every day. We’re starting to get our game going. We’ve just got to keep going. … We create a lot of chances for ourselves.

Boston won the first matchup 6-3 on Nov. 27 as the Bruins seek a 2-0 season series lead over the Islanders.