The Columbus Blue Jackets have been tested by furious rallies from potent offenses, and yet, they remain undefeated at home throughout the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Despite an intense third period after the Boston Bruins cut the lead in half just before the second intermission, the Blue Jackets earned a hard-fought 2-1 win in Game 3 in front of a raucous capacity crowd at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Tuesday night.
The Blue Jackets will look to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series when they welcome Boston back to Nationwide Arena for Game 4 on Thursday night.
The Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead over the Bruins late in the first period.
After spending much of the first 20 minutes on their heels in the defensive zone, the Blue Jackets generated some offense and made good on a look at the net when center Boone Jenner registered his first goal of the postseason with 1:23 remaining in the period.
Defenseman Scott Harrington moved the puck out of the defensive zone, and in neutral ice, center Riley Nash took possession along the near boards before slipping a quick pass to Jenner. After hustling across the blue line, Jenner faked a drive to the net, cut to the slot and rifled a wrist shot past Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask.
The Blue Jackets doubled their lead to 2-0 on a power play goal in the second period.
Right wing Cam Atkinson teed up a slapshot from the right faceoff circle that Rask brushed aside, but after Columbus captain Nick Foligno sent a shot on net, center Matt Duchene jammed home the rebound for his second tally on the man advantage this series.
In addition to the offensive punch from Jenner and Duchene, the Blue Jackets got an incredible effort in net from two-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
Including a furious last two minutes with Boston pulling Rask in favor of an extra attacker, Bobrovsky turned away 34 of the Bruins’ 35 shots. Bobrovsky stopped a short-handed chance, as well as two power-play looks from Boston in order to preserve the win.
