The Bruins’ return to action was not a work of art, but it delivered them the two points they needed to start the final stretch run.
With the Columbus Blue Jackets breathing down their necks in the Eastern Conference standings, the B’s gutted out a 4-2 victory over the Jackets at the Garden on Thursday.
A couple of former Blue Jackets figured prominently in the win. Joonas Korpisalo was by far Boston’s best player, making 36 saves for the victory, while Sean Kuraly’s third-period goal held up as the game-winner.
The win pushed the B’s lead over Columbus to six points. The Washington Capitals are now the closest team chasing the B’s, in points, anyway. They are four points behind the B’s, who have two games in hand on the Caps.
Had Korpisalo been a hair off his game, the standings would have been much tighter this morning. Currently holders of the second wild card, the B’s are one point behind the Sabres for the first wild card.
“(Korpisalo) made a couple of game-changing saves, the one on (Zach) Werenski late in the third and a few others. He was crucial to us winning this game. If he didn’t play like he did, it could have been a different story,” said Kuraly.
The B’s also got two goals from Viktor Arvidsson, a deflected goal in the first period to tie the game and the relief-inducing empty netter to finally take the weight off Korpisal’s shoulders. That gave the 32-year-old Arvidsson 16 goals for the year. He had 15 in 67 games with Edmonton last year. Beyond the scoring, he’s playing on the team’s best defensive line with Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt. Arvidsson is a UFA-to-be but it doesn’t sound like he’s going anywhere by next Friday’s trade deadline, at least if coach Marco Sturm has his way.
“He was not healthy (in Edmonton last year),” said Sturm. “This is the Arvy, why we like him and that’s why I wanted to get him this summer.”
With many of the players coming off a three-week break, and the others switching gears from the Olympics, it was anyone’s guess what the hockey would look like on Thursday.
In the first period, that strange brew heavily favored the Blue Jackets. But Korpisalo, who got the start over USA gold medalist Jeremy Swayman (in civvies for the night), was spectacular and the B’s were able to get to the break tied 1-1. The Jackets held a 20-10 shot advantage in the first and almost half of those shots were high-danger chances.
Columbus took the first lead of the game at 4:28. Mason Marchment sent a long stretch pass up the middle for Kirill Marchenko. Charlie McAvoy was there at center ice to pick it off, but the puck bounced off his stick blade and continued on its intended trajectory to Marchenko, who beat Korpisalo on a clean breakaway.
The Jackets had chances to break the game open but Korpisalo kept the B’s in it. His best save came on a 2-on-1 when he went post-to-post to thwart Adam Fantilli.
The B’s earned a good break to tie it up at 15:51. Jonathan Aspirot made a nice play in the neutral zone to step up and pick off a Columbus breakout pass. He rimmed it around to Viktor Arvidsson and, with Casey Mittelstadt in the slot, Arvidsson sent it his way. It didn’t get to Mittelstadt but it hit off Isac Lundestrom’s stick and went past Elvis Merzlikins for Arvidsson’s 15th of the year.
Both teams had one power play apiece in the first, both of which were unsuccessful.
The B’s took the lead on their second power play at 6:54 of the second, but it came at a cost. Miles Wood ran into Korpisalo and was called for goalie interference. Korpisalo was shaken up but initially stayed in net. After the TV timeout, however, he was pulled by the concussion spotter.
“A little bit (surprised). It never happened before … but it was a pretty big bump, so I could understand,” said Korpisalo.
With Swayman out, that meant Michael DiPietro was thrust into action.
The B’s would quickly give DiPietro a lead. Morgan Geekie beat Merzlikins with a short side blast off a David Pastrnak feed. It was Geekie’s 33rd of the year, tying his career best he set last season.
After DiPietro made two saves, Korpisalo returned to the game at 12:16. Did he have a feeling Korpisalo would be able to go back in?
“He better have,” said DiPietro with a laugh. “It didn’t really look that bad. He seemed fine skating off and I was glad it was quick. He played a fantastic game. I was happy I didn’t screw it up for the boys.”
The B’s stretched it to 3-1 at 11:15 of the third period.
They were gifted a power play midway through the period when Marchment made a good stick check on Fraser Minten but was called for a penalty. The B’s could not cash in on the advantage, but they doubled their lead quickly after Marchment left the box.
Kuraly was chasing down a loose puck in the neutral zone when defenseman Damon Severson stumbled, giving Kuraly a step. From the left circle, Kuraly beat his old teammate with a slapper, his fifth goal of the year.
But the Jackets would not go away. They cut the lead in half at 13:45 when Fantilli, who hit the post at the start of the third, was allowed to drift into the high slot and he beat Korpisalo with a well-placed wrist shot off the post.
Werenski then had a chance for the equalizer from the left side but Korpisalo flashed his pad to deny the Olympian.
The Jackets pulled Merzlikins and the B’s barely held on. Pastrnak iced the puck a couple of times going for the empty netter.
But with 33 seconds remaining, Arvidsson finally scored the empty netter to seal it.
