Talking Points: David Krejci struggles in return from injury as Bruins lose to Blue Jackets

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Dec 6, 2018; Tampa, FL, USA; Boston Bruins center David Krejci (46) during the first period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

GOLD STAR: Seth Jones was excellent for the Blue Jackets throughout the game, and it was Jones that shut down the overtime play in the Columbus zone and kick-started the Blue Jackets rush going the other way for the game-winner. Jones finished with 26:38 of ice time, the assist and a plus-1 rating to go along with three shot attempts, a hit and three blocked shots on a yeoman effort for a franchise D-man in the middle of his prime.

Jones and Zach Werenski were both incredibly solid and played almost half the game for a Columbus team that absolutely paid the price to take two points away from the Black and Gold. With a couple of no-name goalies playing for the Blue Jackets in the near-term, Jones is going to have to be that good pretty much all the time.

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BLACK EYE: It’s got to be viewed through the prism that David Krejci was coming back from injury, but this was far from a triumphant return for No. 46. Instead, he was on ice for both of the goals scored against the Bruins, didn’t get a single shot on net and lost 4-of-10 face-off attempts in his 15:18 of ice time.

Certainly, the timing might have been off after not playing on Tuesday against the Devils and Krejci may still be nursing something as he plays. But he didn’t do a lot to be a positive force for the Bruins in this one and then stayed on the ice for too long with David Pastrnak in the overtime shift that led to the game-winner for Columbus.

TURNING POINT: Honestly, the first turning point was an important one. That was the first shift of the game when Sean Kuraly kicked a puck away to the Blue Jackets in front of the Boston net, and it turned into a goal for Gustav Nyquist after a scramble in front of the net. The Bruins challenged that the play was goalie interference and after further review, the early Blue Jackets goal was overturned by Boston’s first and only B’s-initiated coach’s challenge of the season.

Things could have deteriorated quickly for Boston if they’d allowed a goal that early in the game. Instead, it was 0-0 until David Pastrnak scored on the power play and staked Boston to an early lead they would hold all the way until a fluke third-period bounce beat Tuukka Rask.

HONORABLE MENTION: Tuukka Rask was very good for the Bruins, and probably made his best save in the second period on Sonny Milano after Charlie McAvoy coughed up a puck in the corner. In all, he stopped 31-of-33 shots and the only ones to beat him were a Milano shot off the back of Matt Grzelcyk’s skate in the third period and a 2-on-1 bullet in overtime from Pierre-Luc Dubois after Pastrnak and Krejci stayed on the ice for far too long in the overtime session.

Rask was at his best in the second period stopping all 14 shots that he faced before allowing Columbus goals in both the third period and overtime.

BY THE NUMBERS: 15-2 – the disparity in blocked shots between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Bruins in a game where it seemed clear that Columbus was playing with a lot more desperation than the Black and Gold.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s frustrating obviously. There’s been plenty of them this year. It’s probably getting in our heads that we want to win one and we’re obviously missing a little confidence there.” –David Pastrnak, on another overtime loss this season that drops them to 2-11 in overtime and shootout games this season.

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