The Boston Bruins earned their third straight win Friday night with an impressive third-period comeback and a shootout triumph against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The B’s trailed 2-0 entering the third period, but they scored three answered goals and received excellent goaltending to force overtime. Boston won the game 4-3 when center Alexander Khokhlachev — who was playing in just his second career NHL game — scored the winning goal in the seventh round of the shootout.
Here are the “3 Stars” of Bruins-Blue Jackets.
No. 3 Star: Matt Bartkowski, Defenseman, Boston Bruins
Bartkowski tallied two assists — both in the third period — to earn his second straight multi-point game. He picked up a primary assist on Dennis Seidenberg’s goal from near center ice 1:28 into the third period. His shot from the point at 9:33 of the period was deflected past Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky by Bruins forward Matt Fraser. That goal tied the game 2-2.
Bartkowski finished with a plus-2 rating, two shots and five hits in 20:38 of ice time.
No. 2 Star: Ryan Johansen, Center, Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets’ No. 1 center scored his seventh goal of the season in the first period. He blocked a Kevan Miller shot from the point, retrieved the puck and scored on Bruins backup goalie Niklas Svedberg with a wrist shot. Johanson picked up his second point with a secondary assist on Nick Foligno’s goal at 11:34 of the opening period.
Johansen finished the game with three points, a plus-2 rating, two shots and a 70.0Â faceoff percentage in 19:49Â of ice time.
No. 1 Star: Niklas Svedberg
The Bruins had a very slim margin for error in the third period, and Svedberg answered the challenge with nine saves in the final 20 minutes of regulation, two more in overtime and seven on all attempts in the shootout.
Svedberg made 25 saves on 28 shots overall to improve his record to 3-3-0.
Thumbnail photo via Russell LaBounty/USA TODAY Sports Images
