The Blue Jackets' record is now 29-21-7 with 65 points. They're 5th in the Metro, 10th in the East, and 14th in the NHL. They're also 6 points back of a wild card and the New York Islanders.
Kirill Marchenko(20) and Adam Fantilli(14) scored the only goals for the CBJ, while Elvis Merzlikins stopped 19 of 22 Boston shots in a 4-2 Columbus loss to the Bruins.
Joonas Korpisalo earned every penny of his contract by standing on his head the entire game. The Blue Jackets pumped 40 shots at the Bruins goalies but just couldn't solve Bronze Medal winner Korpisalo.
This is only the new HC Rick Bowness's second loss as the Jackets' bench boss.
First Period - SOG 20-10 CBJ - Columbus Goal Marchenko (20)
The Jackets started the game and looked to set the tone early. They weren't generating many shots but were buzzing around Joonas Korpisalo. Kirill Marchenko took a stretch pass from Mason Marchment, who split the defense and smoked a wrister by Korpisalo to make it 1-0 Jackets.
Marchenko would give the Bruins their first power play when he hooked Henri Jokiharju. The CBJ killed it with relative ease to keep the game in favor of Columbus.
With six minutes left in the first period, there were anxious moments on both ends of the ice when Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo seemed to be under siege. Elvis was tripped behind his net, who then fell and had to dive through the crease to make a goal-saving stop on Sean Kuraly. Going back the other way, Korpisalo had to make a couple goal savers of his own.
Viktor Arvidsson would score for Boston when he put in a puck passed Merzlikins off the stick of CBJ forward Isac Lundestrom. Nothing like a little bad luck to start the post-Olympic break.
The Jackets got their first power play with 2:09 left when Michael Eyssimont got called for holding Boone Jenner. The Bruins killed it, keeping it a 1-1 tie heading into the first intermission.
Second Period - SOG 9-8 CBJ - Columbus Goals - None
Miles Wood gave Boston a power play at the 6:13 mark of the second when he ran into Joonas Korpisalo, drawing a Goalie Interference call. Korpisalo was pulled by concussion spotters, causing Michael DiPietro to be inserted into the crease for Boston. Korpisalo apparently passed concussion protocol and was back in the game with 8 minutes left in the second period.
Morgan Geekie wasted no time when he scored his 33rd goal of the season, putting Boston up 2-1.
The Blue Jackets couldn't get anything going in the second. Boston clamped down defensively and didn't give Columbus a thing. The Jackets actually outshot the Bruins 9-8 but went into the third period down by a goal.
Third Period
With 11:29 to go, Mason Marchment was put in the box for slashing, in what looked to be a very soft call in a tight game like this. Merzlikins and the Jackets' PK were able to fend off the Bruins' man advantage to keep the game 2-1.
Sean Kuraly put the Bruins up for good with 8:34 left in the third period to essentially end the game. The goal might have been helped in by a Blue Jacket defender's stick on the shot, which may have affected the angle of it.
Adam Fantilli did score a goal at the 13:45 mark, but it just felt like it was too late.
Viktor Arvidsson scored an empty net goal to end the CBJ's seven-game win streak. The Boston win was their 10th straight win at home.
Boston goalie Joonas Korpisalo played out of his mind in this game, stopping 36 CBJ shots to collect his first win against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rick Bowness says he doesn't think the game got away from them at all and had more than enough chances to win. He's also curious about how they can control play and have the puck in the Bruins D-Zone so much and not draw any penalties.
Final Stats
CBJ APPPlayer Stats
- Kirill Marchenko scored his 20th goal of the season.
- Adam Fantilli scored his 14th goal of the year and 20th assist. He also had 5 shots on goal and went 8/12 on faceoffs.
- Mason Marchment recorded his 14th and 15th assists
- Zach Werenski picked up his 43rd assist. He now has points in 8 straight games and 12 of his last 13. He also had 7 shots on goal and played 28:34 after returning from Milan.
Team Stats
- The Jackets power play went 0/1.
- The Columbus PK stopped 2 of 3 Bruin man advantages.
- Columbus only won 41.2% of the faceoffs - 21/51
- The Blue Jackets had 24 hits and 11 blocks.
Next Up For Columbus- The Columbus Blue Jackets are back at home after 23 days away from NWA to face the New York Islanders on Saturday.
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