The B's Began 2020 In Similar Fashion to How They Ended 2019: With a Loss to an Inferior Team

New Year's Resolutions are usually reserved for people, not sports teams but I guarantee that the Bruins (24-7-11) came into 2020 looking for a fresh start when it came to their mind-numbing struggles in both overtime (2-5) and shootouts (0-6). After blowing a two-goal lead on New Year's Eve in Newark, NJ then losing 3-2 in a laborious six-round shootout to the awful Devils (15-19-6), they started off the New Year with a 2-1 overtime loss this evening at TD Garden to the Blue Jackets (19-14-8). For the fourth game in a row, Boston was held to three goals or less (2-0-2) and not surprisingly, this lack of offense has led to some spotty results.

On the one hand, Columbus came into this contest with a season-best 11-game point streak (7-0-4) but on the other, they were missing their All-Star goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (17-10-4) and were forced into playing their terrible backup goalie Elvis (insert your very dated joke here) Merzlikins (31 saves) who had one career NHL win to his ironic name. I feel like I say this all the time but it was tough to pin this loss squarely on Tuukka Rask's (25 saves, 15-5-5) shoulders since the two Blue Jacket goals came via a deflection off a Bruins defensemen then an unstoppable one-timer from point blank range on a 2-on-1.

Another reason that Boston should not have lost this first meeting with the Blue Jackets since the second round of the playoffs last spring is that the Bruins' varsity roster was back with Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy and David Krejci all returning from brief injury-related absences. This meant no Brett Ritchie (healthy scratch where he belongs), Steven Kampfer (scratched) or Jeremy Lauzon (sent back to Providence) who had all faced New Jersey in one of the most lifeless losses of this campaign for the Black and Gold. Initially, it seemed like the luck had changed for the Bruins in 2020 at least in terms of coach's challenges (that feel like they never win). The Blue Jackets scored 17 seconds into this tilt on the first shot of the game for either club but Gustav Nyquist's goal was overturned after it was ruled that Boone Jenner had bumped into Rask.

Other than a big hit by Joakim Nordstrom of all people, that was about all that happened in the scoreless first period. The B's took a 1-0 lead a little over midway through the second period (at 11:07 to be exact) as David Pastrnak bombed a one-timer on the power play through former teammate Riley Nash's legs and past your favorite Latvian goalie (besides Columbus' backup Matiss Kivlenieks who was called up for the first time with Korpisalo out for an extended period of time). Pasta's NHL-best 30th goal of the season (the 4th season in a row that he's done that) was assisted by Krug and Patrice Bergeron. David has a nine-game point-streak (4 goals, 10 assists) and he is the fastest Bruin to reach 30 goals (in 42 games) since Cam Neely had 30 in 27 games back in 1993-94.

Columbus might not have much anymore (Artemi Panarin left in free agency for the Rangers last summer while Sergei Bobrovsky now plays for the Panthers) but they do possess the top defensive pairing in the league with Jones and Zach Werenski (game-high 27:00 of ice time). Coming off his first career hat trick on Tuesday vs. Florida, Werenski hit the post in the second period. The Blue Jackets tied it at 2:06 of the third period as BC dropout (look it up) Sonny Milano threw the puck in front and had it bounce off Matt Grzelcyk's leg then into the net. Milano's fourth goal of the season was assisted by BC little person Nathan Gerbe and Vladislav Gavrikov which might be the most Russian name that I've ever heard.

Boston has scored a power play goal in nine straight games and they have killed off 22 straight penalties dating back to Dec. 17 vs. LA (8 games) but those are the positive notes. The most troubling fact is that they continue to fail to put teams away in the third which usually is one of their trademark strengths. Merzlikins made two good saves on Anders Bjork then Danton Heinen and shortly after that, Pastrnak hit the post. Columbus is built to play close, longer games (now 6-6 in OT) so it was no surprise when they won it on the first shot on goal in overtime. Pasta missed the net with a re-direct on one end then Jones skated down the other side with Pierre-Luc Dubois and fed him for a one-timer that he put in the top shelf for his 14th goal of the season, 52 seconds into the extra session. Barf.

The Oilers (21-17-5) are here on Saturday afternoon (1, NESN) for their only visit of the regular season. They remain a fringe playoff team at best which becomes more of a shame when you realize that they do nothing but continue to waste some incredible years by the best player in hockey-their once-in a generation center Connor McDavid (22 goals, 44 assists) who leads the NHL in points and assists. There are no automatic wins right now for the Bruins as the Devils debacle proved so while I'll concede that they should beat Edmonton, I don't feel super confident about that statement. Since we are all going to be worried sick about the Patriots' dynasty possibly ending for good later that night vs. Tennessee, couldn't the B's just treat all the kids sure to be in attendance to a laugher? Yeah, that would be fun (fingers and toes all crossed).

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Charlie Coyle Saves the B's With the Tying & OT Goal in a 3-2 Win vs. Blue Jackets In Game 1

Ahead of tonight's Game 1 of the second round between the Bruins and Blue Jackets, you couldn't help but wonder which was more important: rest (Columbus had last played nine days ago when they completed their historic sweep vs. Tampa Bay) or momentum (Boston closed out their grueling seven-game series vs. Toronto only two days ago)? Ultimately, the B's found a way to come out on top as Weymouth native and former BU star Charlie Coyle tied it late in the third period then scored the game-winning goal in overtime as Boston topped Columbus 3-2 at TD Garden to take a 1-0 series lead.

Other than a bounty of tallies, this contest had a little bit of everything: great goaltending, physicality, world-class goals, drama and a memorable comeback. Are you not entertained, haha what more could you ask for as a neutral hockey fan let alone as a Bruin honk? For much of the night, it looked like Noel Acciari's shorthanded goal midway through the first period (the 1st shorthanded goal of his NHL playoff career) would be the only goal of Game 1. Charlie McAvoy started the sequence by knocking the puck away from a Blue Jacket where Acciari was able to recover it and skate it down the ice before uncorking a beautiful low, hard shot past Sergei Bobrovsky (34 saves) at 10:34. It was the former Providence College star's first goal of this postseason and McAvoy's (former BU star, what up Hockey East?) third assist of the playoffs.

Boston actually should have been up by more than a goal after the first period since they blitzed a noticeably rusty Columbus, outshooting them 14-4. As you would expect, the Blue Jackets started to percolate in the second period as they outshot the B's 10-6 but they couldn't find the back of the net. Brad Marchand hit the crossbar early in the frame but surprisingly, the top two power play units in the league both went 0-for-4 on the evening.

Columbus tied it at one at 7:39 of the third period as Brandon Dubinsky was able to deflect in Seth Jones' shot which originally went off the stick blade of former Bruins great Riley Nash. It was the former Rangers forward's first goal and point of the postseason. Before Boston had a chance to take a breath, they trailed 2-1 as Pierre-Luc Dubois tipped in a shot by Artemi Panarin just 13 seconds later. Dubois' second goal of the playoffs also featured another helper by Jones. The Bruins had a little more than half a period to find a tying goal of their own and that's what they did thanks to Coyle. Marcus Johansson had a beautiful backhand sauce pass that Coyle was able to crank so hard on a one-timer that it bounced in and out of the net in rapid speed. Torey Krug had the second assist on Coyle's fourth goal of the postseason and at that point, probably the biggest goal of his life.

Strangely enough, neither team had played an overtime game in the first round so it seemed like the perfect way to kick off the second round of the NHL playoffs (this was the 1st game of the 2nd round). It didn't take the Black and Gold long to end it as they outshot the Blue Jackets 4-1 and once again the Coyle-Johansson emerging connection was money. This time (at 5:15), Johansson threw the puck to the side of the net where Coyle was perfectly stationed and able to redirect it in for the unforgettable goal. I can't imagine what it feels like to be a local guy and do something like that for the team that you grew up cheering for. Talk about a goosebumps inducing moment.

You'll remember that Boston never officially led in the first-round series vs. Toronto as they trailed 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 before winning the final two meetings in epic fashion. Game 2 of this series is on Saturday night (8, NBC) and you better believe that the Bruins would love to put more pressure on the Blue Jackets who had never won a playoff series before a few weeks ago and never trailed against the chokeartist Lightning. Tuukka Rask (20 saves) wasn't nearly as busy as Bobrovsky but he made some quality stops and his solid play from the last few games vs. the Leafs appeared to carry over.

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