|
 In Boston.
The Jackets took advantage of a Bruins team that was just coming off
the road and has also been dreadful on home ice all season, winning
6-4.
"I didn't know they had a (home) losing streak, so we just try to
play our own game, rookie goalie Joonas Korpisalo said after
stopping 26 shots for the win. "We know what works and play fast
hockey and stuff and it has been working lately so why change it."
The Bruins, who came in with the league's third-worst home record,
fell to 12-15-3 at TD Garden. They have allowed 15 goals in their
last two home games.
The Blue Jackets have become a much-tougher team to play against
under new coach John Tortorella, a much better team than the one
that got coach Todd Richards fired after an 0-7 start.
Columbus is 24-22-7 under Tortorella. The Jackets are also 5-1-1 in
their last seven road games.
Left winger Boone Jenner notched his second two-goal game in the
last four to lead the attack. Center William Karlsson, left wingers
Scott Hartnell and Brandon Saad and defenseman Dalton Prout also
scored for Columbus, which is 7-2-2 over its last 11 games but still
came into the game with the third-worst point total in the NHL.
The Jackets also came in 1-for-16 on the power play in their last
five games and went 2-for-3.
"That was huge for us," said Jenner, who had one of the power play
goals and has 21 goals on the season. "You've got to win that
special teams battle and a couple big goals by us with the power
play and that goes a long way and the momentum of the game and
things like that."
The Bruins, coming off a 4-2 road trip, are 20-7-3 on the road. They
are 1-3-1 in their last five home games.
Boston ended its trip Saturday night in Dallas, flying through the
night to get home.
"Defensively we need to be better and we scored enough to win, but
we didn't do a good job there," said coach Claude Julien. "I think
that was probably the thing that cost us the most tonight because I
think deep down the guys are trying.
"There's the element of fatigue that sets in. We tried to overcome
that and I thought they tried to work hard, but I think mentally
some of the decision-making tonight defensively was not good
enough."
Saad scored off a scramble at 14:29 of the third period to make it
5-3 (the goal unsuccessfully challenged by the Bruins). Then, after
Bruins left winger Loui Eriksson cut the lead back down to one with
his second goal of the game with 2:57 left, Prout lofted one from
his own end into an empty net with 2:15 left.
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Center Alexander Wennberg and defenseman Ryan Murray both had two
assists for the Jackets, while left winger Matt Beleskey also scored
twice for the Bruins.
Eriksson, who may or may not be traded by next week's trade deadline
(and says he wants to stay), has eight goals in the last nine game,
23 on the season.
Korpisalo, playing in his 13th straight game, is 9-2-3 over his last
14. Bruins goalie Jonas Gustavsson, shaky all night, made 29 saves.
"It's a huge win today and we wanted to win in Boston for sure
because we lost in overtime last week, so I think everyone was
really hungry before the game to take two points from here," said
Korpisalo.
Bruins defenseman Joe Morrow had his second straight two-assist
game, after compiling three points in his first 22 games with the
team this season.
Asked about the team's struggles at home, Gustavsson said, "I don't
know, but if I had the answer then obviously we would fix that."
NOTES: Both coaches lost challenges in the game, goals standing for
both teams. ... Bruins C Ryan Spooner (illness) and D Torey Krug
(left previous game with an injury) were both able to play. ...
Columbus coach John Tortorella, a Boston native, missed the team's
previous trip after breaking two ribs in a practice collision with
RW Rene Bourque. ... Bruins Cs David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron
combined to go 31-11 on faceoffs, while Aaron Wennberg was 1-13 for
the Jackets. ... Monday night was First Responder Night at TD
Garden, with Sergeant Richard "Dic" Donohue, who was wounded on-duty
in April 2013 while pursuing the Boston Marathon bombing suspects,
dropping the first puck.
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