Bruins rally past Blue Jackets 4-2 in return from Olympic break
The Boston Bruins — bruins — beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 on Thursday night in the first game for both teams after the three-week break for the Olympics, with Viktor Arvidsson scoring twice and Joonas Korpisalo making 36 saves.
Arvidsson’s two goals lift Boston to a 4-2 win
Viktor Arvidsson finished with two goals as the Boston Bruins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2, and Arvidsson sealed the outcome by scoring into an empty net in the final minute after Columbus pulled goalie Elvis Merzlikins with two minutes left. Kirill Marchenko scored his 20th of the season for Columbus, and Merzlikins made 19 saves.
Korpisalo exits after collision; power play produces Geekie’s 33rd
Joonas Korpisalo made 36 saves but briefly left in the second period after a collision with Columbus forward Miles Wood, who was whistled for interference. While Korpisalo was evaluated for a possible concussion, Michael DiPietro made two stops and the sequence presented the Bruins with a power-play chance that resulted in Morgan Geekie’s 33rd goal of the season.
Kuraly pushed the lead, Fantilli cut it to one
Sean Kuraly also scored for Boston, and Kuraly gave the Bruins a two-goal lead in the third period. Columbus pulled within one with six minutes left when Adam Fantilli ripped a shot from the high slot, forcing Boston to protect the slim advantage down the stretch.
Bruins honored Milan Cortina Olympians during first-period stoppage
During a first period stoppage, the Bruins honored the team’s representatives at the Milan Cortina Olympics; highlights were shown on the video board with the loudest ovation reserved for Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman, ties to the champion U. S. team. Swayman wasn’t active Thursday but appeared on the bench and hugged McAvoy.
Pregame preview, odds and local notes
The matchup was scheduled for TD Garden on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p. m. ET, and pregame notes listed Charlie McAvoy and Charlie Coyle as two of the top players to watch. A pregame prediction page offered an ATS pick of Bruins (-1. 5), an O/U pick of Over (6. 5) and a score prediction of Bruins 4 - Blue Jackets 2. That preview also noted the page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners and that a sign-up or wager could produce compensation, and that the preview used technology from Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
What’s next: Blue Jackets host Islanders
The Blue Jackets host the New York Islanders on Saturday. The Bruins’ next opponent is unclear in the provided context.
