The Boston Bruins remain hot as can be, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-0, to notch their fifth consecutive win at Nationwide Arena on Friday.
The Bruins improved to an NHL-best 8-1-0 on the season, while the Blue Jackets fell to 3-6-0.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
The Bruins offense and defense were both unstoppable, yet again.
Making easy work of the Detroit Red Wings in their previous contest on Thursday, the offensive momentum carried over from Boston to Columbus. Continuing a rather familiar trend in the young season, the Bruins opened up the night as the first to reach the scoreboard, courtesy of defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who netted the go-ahead goal in some hefty traffic.
Boston would proceed to attack the scoreboard in dominant fashion, adding three more unanswered goals in the game's remaining periods, not missing a beat offensively, while the Blue Jackets response was nonexistent.
Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark kept the Blue Jackets offense completely silent throughout the game, shutting them out.
STARS OF THE GAME
-- Ullmark was spectacular for Boston once again. The 29-year-old finished with 30 saves, assisting the Bruins en route to their first shutout victory of the season.
-- Grzelcyk opened up the scoring for the Bruins, getting the offense on the board early with his first goal of the season in the first period. Grzelcyk managed to get the puck past Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlinkis' glove side in the top right corner, off the assists from Taylor Hall (3) and Pavel Zacha (4).
-- Charlie Coyle scored for the second consecutive night, burying a short-handed goal to extend the Bruins lead to 2-0 in the second period. Coyle notched his third goal of the season.
WAGER WATCH
DraftKings Sportsbook set the odds of Grzelcyk being the first scorer of the contest at +3500 prior to puck drop in Columbus. The 28-year-old cleared that wager quickly, doing so in the game's opening period for Boston. A $100 bet on Grzelcyk would've resulted in a $3,600 total payout.
UP NEXT ON NESN
The red-hot Bruins will have three days off before returning to the ice on Tuesday, continuing their road trip and taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Puck drop from PPG Paints Arena is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game, along with an hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.
