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Talking Points: Bruins Keep Rolling With 5-4 Shootout Win In Columbus

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2 years ago

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Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are headed home with 5-1-0 record on a six-game road trip after a 5-4 shootout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night.

The Bruins are now 18-8-3 away from TD Garden and have the second-best road record in the NHL behind the Pittsburgh Penguins who are 19-6-4 on the road.

Despite the Blue Jackets sending the game to overtime with a Jakub Voracek goal with 2.6 seconds left in regulation, the Bruins were able to get two points and finish the trip out west with 10 of a 12 possible points.

After notching an assist in regulation, Boston Bruins David Pastrnak scored the lone shootout goal and eventual game-winner, and goalie Jeremy Swayman stopped all three Blue Jackets attempts in the shootout.

Jake DeBrusk, Erik Haula, Craig Smith and Patrice Bergeron lit the lamp for the Boston Bruins in regulation.

Gustav Nyquist, Vladimir Gavrikov, and Zach Werenski also lit the lamp for the Blue Jackets.

Swayman stopped 20 of 24 Blue Jackets shots in regulation and overtime and Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins stopped 24 of 28 Bruins shots before the shootout.

GOLD STAR: Brad Marchand – Marchand hasn’t missed a step since returning from his six-game suspension on Feb. 24 in Seattle. While he’s gone pointless in three of hi six games back, Marchand still has two goals and four assists with two helpers Saturday in Columbus. His first assist was the epitome of the tenacious game he plays as he broke free to be a pest in front enabling DeBrusk to punch it home for 1-0 lead at 10:49 of the first period.

 

BLACK EYE: Brandon Carlo – Carlo continues to struggle and frankly, look lost on more occasions than not. Too many times the Boston Bruins defenseman is scrambling in front of the net as he aimlessly chases the puck instead of focusing on his man, he lost a few seconds before. For those old enough to remember, and yes, it’s ironic he wears No. 25 too, Carlo reminds this puck scribe of Hal Gill during his Bruins years. He just couldn’t find his niche in Boston but thankfully for him, he did in Pittsburgh with the Penguins and won a Stanley Cup in 2009.

TURNING POINT: Pastrnak Shootout Goal – When one of the best goal scorers in the NHL flat out embarrasses the goalie with his skill in the shootout, the onus is on the opponent to answer and Voracek couldn’t answer Pastrnak’s mastery.

 

HONORABLE MENTION: Nick Foligno – Make no mistake, there was pressure on Boston Bruins winger Nick Foligno in his first game back at Nationwide Arena since the former Blue Jackets captain was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. Factor in that the most popular captain in Blue Jackets history, Rick Nash was having his number retired before the game, and no one would blame Foligno for not continuing to be the sudden third line presence he’s become but he was just that and more for the Bruins with an assist on Craig Smith’s goal that tied the game at three 4:40 into the third period.

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS: 61 – Prior to faceoff, the Blue Jackets held a ceremony to honor, Nash, the longtime Blue Jackets captain and short-time Boston Bruins winger and retired his No. 61.

 

 

QUOTE TO NOTE: “I want to recognize another former Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno. That’s a great room there in Boston and you got a good one there with Nick.” – Rick Nash on Nick Foligno.

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