FINAL SCORE: BRUINS 3, BLUE JACKETS 2
IN BRIEF: Charlie Coyle scored 5:15 into overtime after scoring with four minutes left in regulation as the Bruins rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday night at TD Garden. Game 2 is Saturday night in Boston. BOX SCORE
HIGHLIGHTS:
NOEL ACCIARI GETS B'S ON THE BOARD IN 1ST:
OLD FRIEND RILEY NASH TIES IT AT 1:
13 SECOND LATER, PIERRE LUC DUBOIS PUTS CBJ AHEAD:
COYLE TIES IT FOR B'S WITH 4 MINUTES LEFT IN REGULATION:
COYLE AGAIN IN OT:
FROM JOE HAGGERTY:
*It’s amazing that the trade deadline acquisitions for the Bruins are finally coming through at the biggest moments. Charlie Coyle scored the tying goal and overtime game-winner and Marcus Johansson fed him the passes for both goals. That’s after both players figured into the scoring in Game 7 against the Maple Leafs. Both players were just okay in the regular season after arriving at the deadline, but have become much more prominent where when it really matters in the postseason. The winner was great, with Johansson feeding Coyle at the net for the tap-in that gives the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the series.
Boston Bruins
*The bottom-six continues to provide for the Bruins. This time it was Noel Acciari shorthanded with a rush down the right wing after Charlie McAvoy poked the puck away from the Columbus power-play puck-carrier. That makes it four of the past seven goals that the B’s have scored have been powered by their third and fourth lines. Coyle added the other one in the third period to tie the score at 2 with four minutes left after collecting a beautiful Johansson feed cross-ice and firing it on the net.
*Seven shot attempts, two takeaways and 7-for-12 in the face-off circle for Patrice Bergeron in the first two periods. That bodes really well for the Bruins after he looked like something was nagging him physically in the first round against the Maple Leafs. One shot attempt and a minus-1 for David Pastrnak is at the other end of the spectrum and he continues to miss far and wide with a lot of his shot attempts. It seems as if something is wrong with him physically.
*What a first period for the Bruins. As expected they caught the Blue Jackets completely unready to start this series and they hammered them while outshooting them 14-4 in the opening 20 minutes. The Bruins had a ton of quality chances from Bergeron and Brad Marchand on the power play to McAvoy on a one-timer from the circle after a great David Krejci feed. The Bruins controlled play, attacked and generally looked to be Columbus’ equal in the speed and physicality department. Still, they couldn’t put more than Acciari’s shorthanded goal on the board and ended up allowing a pair of goals in the third period.
UP NEXT:
Game 2: Saturday, @TD Garden, 8 p.m., NBC
Game 3: Tuesday, @Columbus, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Game 4: Thursday, May 2: @Columbus, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network
*Game 5: Saturday, May 4: @TD Garden, 7:15 p.m., NBC
*Game 6: Monday, May 6: @Columbus, TBD
*Game 7: Wednesday, May 8: @TD Garden, TBD
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