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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Donato's Debut Was Everything You Could Have Hoped For (G, 2 As) but Columbus Wins In OT

Normally, a Monday night in mid-March against Columbus (40-28-5) isn't a typical setting for a memorable moment in Bruins (45-17-9) history but fans at TD Garden were treated to something special this evening. Boston's prized prospect Ryan Donato (son of Ted) skipped his senior season at Harvard to sign a two-year entry-level deal with the Bruins on Sunday night and wouldn't you know, there he was on the second forward line vs. the Blue Jackets with David Krejci and Danton Heinen after Rick Nash was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. Wearing Milan Lucic's old #17 jersey, the Scituate MA native and Dexter alum put together quite an NHL debut as he scored a goal and had two assists as Columbus pulled out a wild 5-4 victory in overtime. He's the first Bruin to have a multi-point outing in his first NHL game since Jarno Kultanen had three assists on Oct. 5, 2000. It was the eighth straight win for the Blue Jackets that also snapped a seven-game home win streak for the Bruins.

The Blue Jackets improved to an incredible 8-1 in overtime this season while the Bruins fell to 5-7 in the extra session. Coming off their best win of 2017-18 (3-0 at Tampa Bay on Saturday night), Boston couldn't match that masterful defensive effort as Columbus rallied from a 3-1 deficit and picked up two vital points as they took over the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The single point for the B's left them three points behind the Lightning (49-19-4) with a game in hand. Columbus struck first as Bruins killer Thomas Vanek as always made his presence felt by stealing the puck and feeding Boone Jenner who had the good fortune of deflecting the puck in off his knee at 4:15 of the first period for his 11th goal of the season (6-game point streak).

Boston trailed 1-0 after the first period but they came out flying in the second with three straight goals. Donato wasted no time bagging his first NHL goal as he worked a perfect give-and-go with Torey Krug and Heinen for a wicked one-timer at 5:41. Less than two minutes later, Brad Marchand gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead with a beautiful backhander that went top shelf on Columbus' backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (34 saves, 8-7-0) for his team-leading 31st goal of the season, assisted by David Pastrnak and Kevan Miller. It looked to be Boston's night when Riley Nash banged in a rebound for a power play goal at 16:32, his 15th tally of the season. Donato and Marchand had the assists for what has to be the recipient of NESN's 7th Player Award this season. Who has overachieved more than Riley Nash in this campaign, particularly with Patrice Bergeron out? The Blue Jackets answered 25 seconds later though as BC dropout Sonny Milano tapped in a pass from Ryan Murray. Captain Nick Foligno had the second assist on Milano's 12th goal of the season.

Simply so they don't have to continue to face his wrath, the Bruins should consider signing Vanek at some point in his career. I feel like he's a free agent every summer and/or available at each NHL trade deadline. He tied it at three at 5:38 of the third period with a textbook re-direct of Markus Nutivaara's shot. Jenner had the secondary assist on Vanek's 20th goal of the season. The Blue Jackets kept the momentum going as former Blackhawk Artemi Panarin whipped a shot by Tuukka Rask (20 saves, 30-11-5) at 11:30 for his 22nd goal of the season after a clean faceoff win by Foligno went right to his linemate. It didn't take the Bruins long to bounce back (hi Big Sean!) since David Krejci tied it 20 seconds later on a nifty little one-timer from Donato and Heinen for his 17th goal of the season.

Marchand had a breakaway early in overtime but despite plenty of contact from Columbus rookie forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, there was no penalty shot or even an infraction called. I say this as a fan of hockey not just a honk for the Bruins but what other player wouldn't have drawn a whistle there? That seemed like a perfect example of Marchand's checkered history costing him in a pivotal moment which is a shame to say the least. Former BC star Cam Atkinson won it for the Blue Jackets at 2:55, his 17th goal of the season (13 points in his last 12 games) was assisted by Murray and Alexander Wennberg.

Boston barely had time to unpack at home for a few days as they head right back on the road for another four-game road trip. They begin with two teams right outside the Western Conference playoff picture (at St. Louis on Wednesday then at Dallas on Friday) before closing with two teams that are more firmly situated in there (at Minnesota on Sunday night and at Winnipeg next Tuesday). The Bruins' next home game isn't until a week from Thursday (7, NESN) when they host Tampa Bay in what should be another huge matchup that could go a long way towards determining who wins the Atlantic Division. Bergeron (broken foot) skated today and while he, Zdeno Chara (upper-body) and David Backes (laceration behind his right knee) are out against the Blues (39-28-5), it sounds like they might return at some point on this trip.

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