Despite the win it looked liked the only thing going for the Bruins other than Tuukka Rask was the fact that they were playing the last place Columbus Blue Jackets. Sloppy puck management and some lazy defense held the Bruins to only one goal against the sad sack Jackets, thankfully Tuukka Rask held the line and pulled the team to a 2-1 shootout win Thursday night at the TD Garden.
Rich Peverley and David Krejci scored in the shootout while Rask ended the night with 30 saves. The win capped a 5-0 homestand that could leave the Bruins back in the top eight in the Eastern Conference standings.
"I think we were a little lucky to come out of this game with two points," head coach Claude Julien told the media after the game. "We looked a little tired ... but found a way to win."
Columbus, to its credit, did not look like a last place club out-shooting the Bruins 31-27. Jackets backup Curtis Sanford made 26 saves and held the Bruins to a single goal in regulation and an overtime that included a Bruins 4-on-3 powerplay.
The Jackets opened the scoring in the second period while on the powerplay. Nikita Nikitin fired a shot from the right point on a screened Rask, Derek MacKenzie redirected the shot and it got past Rask to put Columbus ahead.
A few minutes later the Bruins got the goal back on a similar play, this time it was Adam McQuaid who received a pass at the point at threw on net. With Rich Peverley wrestling with Grant Clitsome the puck deflected off Clitsome and past Sanford to tie it at one.
The score remained the same through regulation and overtime sending it to a shootout. Sanford stopped lead-off shooter Tyler Seguin but let in goals from Peverley and Krejci.
Rask looked strong all game and stole a game that the Bruins could have easily lost, they now take their seven game win streak on the road to Long Island well they will face off with the New York Islanders Saturday night.