I don't catch enough Columbus Blue Jackets games to know if this is the norm or not but I have to say that tonight's contest between them and the Boston Bruins was particularly bizarre.
The B's (18-9-1) snapped a two-game losing streak by winning 5-3 at Nationwide Arena over the Blue Jackets (8-17-4) but they pulled it off under pretty random circumstances.
Where to begin? Well Columbus got out to a 2-0 lead less than 12 minutes into the game, Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas (22 saves) was pulled after two periods, Zdeno Chara was felled with a "lower-body injury" in the second period and didn't return, Joe Corvo scored his first two goals in his Bruins career while Boston's power play finished 3 of 6.
After Shawn Thornton and Jared Boll renewed acquaintances (they fought in the teams' first meeting as well, Nov. 17), Rick Nash (9th of the season) made it 1-0 Columbus at 5:46 when he broke loose from Chara on a breakaway and beat Thomas.
Former Flyer Jeff Carter (5th of the season) doubled the lead at 11:09 when he shoveled in a backhander, on the power play.
Corvo's wrist shot from the point brought the B's back in it at 18:26 of the first period, from Milan Lucic (3 assists) and David Krejci (2 assists).
Boston struck again 45 seconds later, to tie it at 2, and improbably send it into the first intermission like that. Nathan Horton's (8th of the season) snap shot left Blue Jackets goaltender Curtis Sanford (24 saves in his hideous toilet cake blue leg pads) with no chance to stop it. Lucic and Andrew Ference assisted on the goal.
Lucic took a dumb double minor penalty later in the first period but Boston was able to successfully kill it.
Chara's (6th of the season) bomb from the point, gave Boston a 3-2 lead with its second power-play goal of the night. Lucic and Krejci assisted on the goal, 58 seconds into the second frame.
At 16:05, R.J. Umberger (5th of the season) tied it at 3 with a goal that Thomas rarely gives up and undoubtedly would like to have back.
Boston head coach Claude Julien never has to pull the old Montreal Canadiens desperation tactic of pulling the goalie but on this night, it worked wonders. Tuukka Rask (11 saves; 5-4-1) started the third period and didn't allow any goals despite some solid chances for the Blue Jackets.
Corvo scored his second power-play goal at 6:44 from Dennis Seidenberg and Tyler Seguin. Corvo was the most culpable player on goals in the Winnipeg and Florida losses so it was nice to see him get rewarded offensively since he's had a bunch of close calls and near misses this season.
Chris Kelly (11th of the season) added the third power-play goal with 26 seconds remaining. Patrice Bergeron fed him from behind the net for Kelly's underrated one-timer, Brad Marchand had the other assist.
The book is closed on Boston vs. Columbus in 2011-2012 with a shootout victory and tonight's win for the good guys. The only way they would meet again is if they both advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. Haha, well I don't think the Blue Jackets will be there.
Things figure to get a little more interesting on Tuesday as the Bruins welcome the Los Angeles Kings, a team they usually only see once or twice a season, to TD Garden. Connecticut native and UMass-Amherst alum Jonathan Quick is one of the top young goaltenders in the league and Bill Simmons' favorite NHL squad also has a bunch of stud young forwards and defensemen. I'm looking forward to what should be an entertaining game.
UPDATE 12/11: Boston Globe Bruins reporter Fluto Shinzawa reports that Chara is expected to miss a week of action (vs. Los Angeles, at Ottawa, at Philly) with a leg injury. Stay tuned for more news on that since the captain never misses action.
Tweet
Follow @RichSlate
No comments:
Post a Comment