{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
Boston 2, Columbus 1
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Referees: Trevor Hanson, Dave Jackson
Linesmen: Derek Nansen, Mark Shewchyk
Attendance: 13140

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Boston Bruins didn't turn in their best performance this season, but left winger Loui Eriksson is giving them all the margin for error they need.

Eriksson's tap-in goal off a perfect feed from defenseman Torey Krug only 33 seconds into overtime led the Bruins to a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday in Nationwide Arena.

"I'm finding ways to score goals, and it's a nice feeling to have," said Eriksson, who scored a goal in a fourth consecutive game. "That's a great play by Torey right there.

"It seems like the puck is finding me right now, so keep it up."

Center Patrice Bergeron also scored for the Bruins, while goaltender Tuukka Rask made 28 stops.

The Blue Jackets' only goal came on a first-period penalty shot by center Alexander Wennberg.

Columbus rookie goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, making his 10th consecutive start in place of injured starter Sergei Bobrovsky, finished with 28 saves.

"We played well enough for one point," Korpisalo said, "but not well enough for two. However we played, it wasn't good enough."

Still, the Blue Jackets -- 6-1-2 in their past nine games -- felt as if they deserved a better fate.

Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella was fuming about the overtime breakdown that led to Eriksson's goal.

"The thing that (ticks) me off is we just give them a free one," Tortorella said. "After how hard we worked, how patient we were in the third period, our work on the boards, just grind away ... and we give 'em a free one.

"It's frustrating. It's a simple three-on-three, man-on-man, and we just screw it up."

Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones lost his check during the three-on-three overtime, allowing Eriksson to sneak through the backdoor wide open.

"I'm really happy the way we played," Tortorella said, "but just as upset as far as giving them a free one to lose the game."

The Blue Jackets (23-28-7) took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period.

Wennberg was sprung on a breakaway by a nifty pass from Blue Jackets left winger Scott Hartnell, but Wennberg didn't get a shot off because he was hooked by Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara.

On the first penalty shot of the season for the Blue Jackets, and the first of Wennberg's career, he switched to his backhand at half-speed and quickly roofed a shot over Rask's left shoulder to make it 1-0.

The Bruins pulled even at 14:28 of the opening period. A turnover by Jones gave the puck to Bergeron with a clear shooting lane on Korpisalo.

Bergeron, who missed the previous two games with an undisclosed injury, rifled the puck between Korpisalo's glove and pad for his 22nd goal of the season.

"That's a save I have to make," Korpisalo said. "It knuckled a little bit, but I need to be there."

Other than Wennberg's penalty shot and the turnover Bergeron converted, both teams played a very tight, fast-paced game with plenty of physicality.

"There were a lot of battles along the wall," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "They won too many battles for my liking. I didn't think we were good enough. We'd get one chance (in the Columbus zone) and we were done, and they'd come back the other way.

"But when we needed the big play in overtime for the crucial second point, we got it."

NOTES: Bruins C Patrice Bergeron (undisclosed) and D Adam McQuaid (upper body) were both deemed "game-time decisions," but both played. Bergeron, who missed two games, skated between LW Brad Marchand and RW Brett Connolly. McQuaid, who missed 18 games, joined D Dennis Seidenberg on the second pairing. ... Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky (groin) and RW David Clarkson resumed skating, but there is no timetable for their return. ... Blue Jackets G Curtis McElhinney was activated from injured reserve and served as G Joonas Korpisalo's backup.
Top Game Performances
 
Boston   Columbus
Patrice Bergeron 1 Points Alexander Wennberg 1
Patrice Bergeron 1 Goals Alexander Wennberg 1
David Krejci 1 Assists Alexander Wennberg 0
N/A Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Tuukka Rask .966 Save Percentage Joonas Korpisalo .933
Tuukka Rask 28 Saves Joonas Korpisalo 28
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Boston 30 2 0-4 3-3 6 37
Columbus 29 1 0-3 4-4 8 30
Upcoming Games
  • Columbus will play their next game at home against Buffalo. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .458 after a win and .353 after a loss.
  • Boston will play their next game on the road against Nashville. The Bruins have a W/L % of .533 after a win and .556 after a loss.