Bruins Take Early Lead, Beat Blue Jackets 5-2
BOSTON (AP) — David Backes, David Krejci and Austin Czarnik all had two points for Boston to lift the Bruins past the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 on Thursday night.
Boston won for the fifth time in seven games and has scored 11 goals in its two wins over Columbus this season.
The Blue Jackets lost in regulation for the second time in 10 games.
Torey Krug, Matt Beleskey, Czarnik and Tim Schaller scored four of five straight goals in a span of 9:55 of the first period to give the Bruins a 4-1 lead.
Krug scored his first of the season and tied the game 1-1 for Boston with a slap shot that deflected off a Blue Jacket and past Sergei Bobrovsky at 8:47.
Bobrovsky was pulled in favor of Curtis McElhinney after giving up four goals on nine shots and he lost for the first time in five starts. He is 0-4-2 lifetime against Boston.
Tuukka Rask made 15 saves for Boston while improving to 8-1.
Backes capped off the scoring for Boston and scored his third goal of the season at 11:51 of the second period.
Nick Foligno gave Columbus a 1-0 lead 2:29 into the game when he converted a pass from Alexander Wennberg.
Wennberg began the night tied for the league lead in assists and he has nine in the last six games.
Sam Gagner scored an unassisted goal to cut the lead to 5-2 after Bruins defenseman Colin Miller mistakenly knocked the puck into his own net at 8:40 of the third.
Bruins' leading scorer Brad Marchand has only two goals in the last 10 games.
NOTES: Beleskey snapped a 16-game scoreless streak with his first of the season. . Bobrovsky had only allowed four goals in his previous four games. . Bruins F Jimmy Hayes thought he had his 27-game goal drought snapped when he was originally credited for the Bruins' fourth goal. . Columbus has killed 30 of 32 Boston power plays including 26 straight over 11 games. . Boston announced RW Noel Acciari will miss 3 to 4 weeks with a lower body injury.
UP NEXT:
Blue Jackets: Will kick off a three-game home stand Saturday against the St. Louis Blues.
Bruins: Visits Arizona on Saturday.
