NHL-best Bruins honor Patrice Bergeron; beat Columbus 4-2
BY KEN POWTAK Associated Press
BOSTON — David Krejci scored a go-ahead, power-play goal and the Boston Bruins remained unbeaten in regulation at home with a 4-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
David Pastrnak also had a power-play goal, Taylor Hall scored on a delayed penalty and backup goalie Jeremy Swayman, wearing new dark-tan pads, made a season-high 30 saves for Boston.
The NHL-best Bruins honored captain Patrice Bergeron for reaching 1,000 career points last month during an on-ice pregame ceremony.
Boston improved to 16-0-2 at TD Garden, with both losses coming in a shootout.
Boone Jenner had a power-play goal, Patrik Laine scored and Daniil Tarasov stopped 35 shots for Columbus, which has lost three straight and six of eight.
Krejci's go-ahead goal late in the second was a bit of redemption. Columbus had tied the game 1-all while he was in the penalty box for high sticking. Just under four minutes later, he moved Boston ahead 2-1 on a one-timer from the left circle off a pass from Charlie McAvoy.
Hall extended the margin to 3-1 at 12:41 of the third period and Tomas Nosek scored 19 seconds later.
Pastrnak's 20th goal made it 1-0 at 7:17 of the opening period, the seventh straight season he's reached that mark.
BERGERON CEREMONY
Joined by his wife, Stephanie, and their three small children, Bergeron was presented with crystal from the NHL by Johnny Bucyk, a silver stick from GM Don Sweeney, a check for $37,000 for a charity of his choice by President Cam Neely and gifts from the players by teammates Brad Marchand and Krejci.
He became the fourth player in Bruins history to reach the mark with the club, joining Hall of Famers Ray Bourque (1,506), Bucyk (1,339), and Phil Esposito (1,012) on Nov. 21 in a win at Tampa Bay. The three of them also congratulated him via a video on the Jumbotron.
TOUGH CROWD
There was also a video during a stoppage late in the first period with other NHL players congratulating Bergeron. That was greeted with a spattering of boos when Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alex Ovechkin were shown.
BLUE JACKETS' BITS
Star Johnny Gaudreau was held without a goal for the fifth time in the last six games. … Forward Eric Robinson returned to the lineup after missing the previous game due to an illness. … They're in a stretch of five of six on the road.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Host Dallas on Monday.
Bruins: Face Florida Monday in the fourth of a five-game homestand.