BOSTON — The Columbus Blue Jackets entered the weekend with the NHL’s worst record, but they took the Bruins down to the wire in their lone trip to TD Garden this season.
Torey Krug scored the game-winning goal in a shootout Saturday night to give Boston a 3-2 victory.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Neither team found the back of the next during a five-minute overtime session despite each earning a power play, and Ryan Spooner and Krug both buried their attempts during the shootout.
Jonas Gustavsson, who finished with 31 saves. turned aside Cam Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky to seal the win.
BENDING THE SPOON
One game after returning to his usual third-line center spot following David Krejci’s activation from injured reserve, Spooner found himself an a brand-new position Saturday night: top-line right wing.
Bruins coach Claude Julien opted to line the 23-year-old up alongside Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron, with Brett Connolly (one goal — an empty-netter — in his last 23 games) sitting out as a healthy scratch.
And Spooner, who saw limited time at wing in the bottom six earlier this season, helped set up the game’s first goal, feeding Marchand in front during the opening shift of the second period.
The goal was Marchand’s team-leading 19th of the season and his fourth in as many games. Spooner and Bergeron both were credited with assists to remain tied for the team lead with 25 helpers apiece.
Spooner has 11 assists and 13 points in his last 12 games after tallying just 22 points over his first 35.
BOUNCE-BACK PASTRNAK
David Pastrnak, who endured a rough night during Thursday’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks, scored just 3:02 after Marchand. The young winger did an excellent job of crashing the net on the play, which also featured a string of pretty drop passes between Pastrnak, Krejci and Loui Eriksson.
Pastrnak’s fifth goal of the season gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead, but that advantage was gone within minutes. Dalton Prout beat Gustavsson for Columbus’ first goal of the night, and Kerby Rychel scored another just after the midway point of the second to tie the game.
Prout’s goal snapped a streak of 107 games in a row without one for the 25-year-old defenseman.
COMING HOME
The game was Gregory Campbell’s first at the Garden since the former Bruins forward signed with the Blue Jackets this past offseason. The B’s welcomed the 2011 Stanley Cup winner back with a video tribute.
UP NEXT
The Bruins head to Philadelphia on Monday to visit the Flyers. Boston led in the third period in each of the teams’ first two meetings this season but lost both.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
