Final: Blue Jackets 4, Bruins 3 (shootout)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Bruins erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime, but lost in a shootout 4-3 to the Blue Jackets Monday night at Nationwide Arena.

 Tuukka Rask finished with 29 saves, while the Blue Jackets' Sergei Bobrovsky, who entered the game with a 6-2-0 with a 1.86 goals-against and a .938 save percentage, finished with 27.

Since Bruins' Anton Khudobin did not make the trip due to a lower-body injury, Zane McIntyre will serve as the backup tonight.

Observations from overtime

Players on both teams were obviously exhausted.

Rask made a huge pad save that secured the tie and helped advance to the shootout.

Brandon Carlo made a solid defensive play to break up a 2-on-1.

Observations from third period

Torey Krug scored his second goal of the season to cut Boston's deficit to one goal at 10:26 of the third.

Soon after, Brad Marchand tied it at 3-3. He's now recorded at least a point in eight of his last 10 games.

With the game tied, Kevan Miller went to the defense of Krug, who was on the receiving end of a boarding call. Miler was given a two-minute instigating penalty, a five-minute fighting major, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct. It resulted in a Columbus power play.

I can't believe this game is tied, especially with Bobrovsky holding a two-goal lead in the third period.

Paul Postma was racing back for the puck with the Blue Jackets' Markus Hannikainen draped all over his back. Postma lost an edge and his body bent in half when he hit the end wall and smashed his head against the boards. Fortunately, he was able to skate off on his own and went to the room with 14:29 remaining in regulation. He returned a few minutes later.

Observations from second period

The Bruins were physically abused late in the opening period, so captain Zdeno Chara made a statement to start the second when he dropped the gloves with Josh Anderson. Each guy landed at least one good shot before both fell to the ice.

Without David Krejci in the lineup due to back spams, David Pastrnak hasn't been himself of late and he found himself on the fourth line in the second period before Bruce Cassidy reunited Pastrnak with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on the top line midway through the second.

With that change to the top line, Anders Bjork is playing with Danton Heinen and Sean Kuraly.

Breakouts have not been clean for the Bruins so far.

Bergeron scores on the power play to give Boston its first goal of the game. Torey Krug nearly scored but his one-timer from the left circle rang off the post before Bergeron scored.

Observations from first period

It didn't take long for the Blue Jackets to gain a 1-0 lead at 1:59 of the period. David Savard was credited with the goal.

We could hear the gasps all the way from New England when Krug was called for holding (also could've been interference) at 9:04. Fans have been all over him for his icing mishap on Saturday, but let's not forget, folks, he's a solid defenseman in all aspects. He hasn't been the same since breaking his jaw during the preseason, but he'll find his game soon.

Speaking of defensemen, Kevan Miller doesn't get enough credit. He's prone to injuries because of the way he plays and it's becoming a regular occurrence that he's banged and bruised during the course of each game.

Brandon Carlo had to leave the bench for a few minutes late in the period after blocking a shot. He was able to return.

The Blue Jackets have two goals in the period and Bruins defenseman Paul Postma was on the ice for both tallies. He was outmuscled in front on both goals.

The Bruins didn't generate anything offensively in the opening period, posting only four shots.

Charlie McAvoy continues to make adjustments to his game. Earlier in the season, when he would get beat wide, he would tend to take a penalty. He got beat in that fashion in the first period but stayed disciplined and was able to break up the play.

Here are projected line combinations and pairings vs. Blue Jackets

Forwards

Marchand-Bergeron-Bjork

DeBrusk-Backes-Pastrnak

Schaller-Kuraly-Heinen

Agostino-Nash-Vatrano

Defense

Chara-McAvoy

Krug-Carlo

Postma-Miller

Goalies

Rask

McIntyre