GOLD STAR: Artemi Panarin was a big-time difference-maker for the Blue Jackets. He scored both of the goals during regulation play, and then it was the Bread Man’s blast from the point that created a rebound for Matt Duchene to score the game-winner. Panarin finished with 32:10 of ice time in the Game 2 win for the Blue Jackets to go along with eight shot attempts and a couple of hits for the Russian sniper. Pretty much all of the Columbus offense was based off rockets from Panarin with a couple of them that Tuukka Rask didn’t have much of a chance of stopping, and then the third that he did stop but directed it right to Duchene waiting in front of him. The Bruins really need to find a way to contain Panarin, who is one of the few truly dangerous Columbus forwards emerging in this series.
BLACK EYE: The Bruins special teams just didn’t get it done in Game 2. Their power play did spit out one goal when Matt Grzelcyk scored in the first period to give the Bruins a temporary lead, but they also wasted a four-minute power play after a high-sticking call cut Sean Kuraly open underneath his eye. Then there were the two power play goals that allowed to the Blue Jackets on top of it as well, so something that’s been an undeniable strength for the Bruins all season got away from them. That happened a couple of times as well during the first series against the Maple Leafs, but the Bruins each time really responded with a well-coached, big special teams effort in the next game.
TURNING POINT: The Bruins had their chance to really take hold of the game when Josh Anderson went off for a four-minute high-sticking call when he bloodied Sean Kuraly underneath his eye. It turned things to 4-on-4 play for almost a minute, and then gave the Bruins three-plus minutes of power play time afterward. Artemi Panarin proceeded to score a game-tying goal during the 4-on-4 portion of play and then the flustered Bruins couldn’t even get a shot on net in the ensuing power play time. It felt like the momentum really changed at that point in time in the game, and the Bruins had to scramble to get it back later on. But the power play really seemed to take some energy away from the B’s rather than supply them with it like they usually do.
HONORABLE MENTION: Seth Jones was an absolute stud for the Blue Jackets in the win. He finished with a game-high 38:01 of ice time, had a couple of assists including the helper on Artemi Panarin’s game-tying goal in the second period, had six shot attempts, five hits and three blocked shots while playing an extremely strong all-around game from the back end. The Bruins knew going into the series that Jones and Zach Werenski would be big factors in the playoff series given their status as All-Star level bookend D-men, and Jones was that guy and then some at both ends of the ice in a big road playoff victory for the Blue Jackets.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1 – the first career playoff goal for Matt Grzelcyk when he beat Sergei Bobrovsky with a wrist shot from the point in the first period.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We can’t pass up shots. A guy like [Sergei Bobrovsky] you want to throw pucks on the net and really test him, especially early.” –Charlie Coyle, on the Bruins passing up a lot of clean looks at the Columbus net in the 3-2 double-overtime loss in Game 2.
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