Bruins blank Blue Jackets, avenge home-and-home loss

Field Level Media|published: Sat 28th December, 21:42 2024

Dec 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Dmitri Voronkov (10) pushes Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) into goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Justin Brazeau scored only 2:29 into the first period, and the Boston Bruins never looked back in a 4-0 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets in the latter game of the teams' home-and-home series on Saturday night.

Morgan Geekie had one goal and one assist, while David Pastrnak and Cole Koepke also lit the lamp for Boston, which bounced back from a 6-2 Friday loss at Columbus and improved to 5-1-1 in its last seven games.

Jeremy Swayman stopped all 18 shots he faced en route to his second shutout this season.

Bruins forward Fabian Lysell, who was recalled earlier in the day from AHL Providence, made his NHL debut. The 21-year-old former first-round draft pick had a plus-1 rating in 11:32 of ice time.

Danill Tarasov (24 saves) took the loss in his first start since Dec. 5 for the Blue Jackets, who were shut out for only the second time this season and had a four-game point streak (3-0-1) snapped.

Boston had a 28-18 advantage in shots and, a night after surrendering three power-play goals, went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill. That effort included erasing Mark Kastelic's double-minor for high-sticking in the second period.

Columbus had no more than seven shots in any period.

Brandon Carlo's point shot through traffic led to a rebound that Brazeau knocked home for the opening goal. Lysell did not get credit for an assist, but made a pass from deep in the corner that contributed to the goal.

After withstanding a Kirill Marchenko breakaway that led to an extended in-zone sequence in front of Swayman, the hosts made it a 2-0 game at the other end when Geekie got the puck off a turnover and sniped a shot high to Tarasov's glove side at 6:29 of the middle frame.

Pastrnak extended the Boston lead at 8:17, taking Geekie's pass from the defensive blue line into open space down the middle of the ice and burying a wrist shot from close range. He also clanked the post on another breakaway in the final minute of the second.

In the final frame, Koepke picked the stick-side corner of Tarasov's net from the right side to give the Bruins a 4-0 lead at the 6:06 mark.

--Field Level Media

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