So, that talk about the Blue Jackets “denting” Tuukka Rask?
Certainly didn’t seem like it on Monday night, as Rask once again out-dueled Sergei Bobrovsky — stopping all 39 shots that came his way en route to a 3-0 victory for the Bruins in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
With the win, the Bruins eliminate the Blue Jackets from playoff contention and punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they will face off against the Carolina Hurricanes. A starting date for that series has yet to be determined.
While Rask stood tall and a Bruins penalty kill shut down the Blue Jackets’ man advantage four times (and 11 straight chances dating back to the third period of Game 3), David Krejci, David Backes and Marcus Johansson all lit the lamp.
A tight contest for most of the night, the Bruins finally built some breathing room in the third when Johansson and Backes beat Bobrovsky on back-to-back shots at 8:58 and 10:39 respectively.
With at least one second-round series heading to a Game 7 (Dallas / St. Louis), the Bruins will have a few more days to lick their wounds before taking on the Canes in a series that I'm sure no one predicted back in October.
_______________________
The Boston Bruins will look to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals they take on Columbus in Game 6 of their best-of-seven series. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Follow along for updates from Monday’s game.
WHO: Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets (Bruins lead, 3-2)
WHEN: 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Nationwide Arena
TV: NBC
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub
LIVE BOX SCORE: NHL.com
LIVE COVERAGE:9:51: Bruins beat the Blue Jackets, 3-0, and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Just as we all expected back in October — the Hurricanes and Bruins will face off with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line.
9:44: Empty net for Columbus.
9:33: Two shots — two goals for the Bruins. Johansson and Backes make it a 3-0 game.
9:24: Jackets continue to swarm, but Rask is standing tall.
9:21: Huge stop by Rask on Duchene.
9:20: Columbus with another power play. Nordstrom off for a slash.
9:16: Both Coyle and Krejci have had some fantastic set-ups tonight.
9:14: Bruins PK now 10-for-10 going back to the third period of Game 3.
9:12: Jackets still with 1:44 on the PK to start the third.
9:11: Josh Anderson back on the bench for Columbus.
8:57: If McAvoy is suspended for that hit — much rather he miss the start of the Eastern Conference Finals than Game 7 against Columbus. Bruins need to close this one out.
8:53: McAvoy drops Josh Anderson with an illegal check to the head. He somehow avoids a major on that — Huuuuuuuge break for the Bruins. Have to think DOPS will take a look at that, though.
8:40: Rask denies Dubinsky. Rask now up to 24 saves.
8:39: David Krejci opens the scoring after a puck bounces off the post and sails out to him in the high slot. They won't review that one. 1-0 Bruins.
8:32: Bruins make the kill, despite four shots from Columbus. Bruins have now killed off the last nine Blue Jackets power plays this series.
8:27: Marchand whistled for a slash. Columbus power play coming up.
8:21: Kukan rings one off the crossbar.
8:21: Chara bites and Columbus gets a 2-on-1. But Rask makes the stop.
8:15: B's make the kill.
8:15: Bobrovsky stops a 2-on-1 shorthanded chance from Nordstrom and Kuraly.
8:14: Blue Jackets to the power play. Pastrnak off for a trip.
8:12: Krug takes a big hit from Dubois — but stays in the game and shuts down a scoring chance generated from a Carlo turnover.
8:08: Second period underway.
7:56: Quality looks for both teams so far tonight — with the Bruins and Blue Jackets combining for 11 5v5 high-danger scoring chances in the first period. The Bruins with 7 of those high-danger looks — equalling their total output from their 4-1 win in Game 4.
7:50: Great look by the Coyle line, but no score through 20. Bruins with a 12-10 edge in shots on goal in the first period.
7:48: Good bid by Bergeron, but Bobrovsky gets a piece of it.
7:47: Markus Hannikainen has been impressive so far for Columbus. Adding plenty of spark up front for the Jackets.
7:30: No goal.
7:25: Bruins power play ends — but Kuraly scores seconds later. However, CBJ challenges for goaltender interference.
7:23: Wee bit of a shaky start from Brandon Carlo.
7:21: Dubois runs into Rask, and the Bruins head on the power play. Interference is the call.
7:16: McAvoy is locked in so far tonight.
7:12: Game 6 is underway.
7:04: Bruins starters: Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak / Chara-McAvoy
PROJECTED LINES
BOSTON
Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk -- David Krejci -- David Backes
Marcus Johansson -- Charlie Coyle -- Danton Heinen
Joakim Nordstrom -- Sean Kuraly -- Chris Wagner
Zdeno Chara -- Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug -- Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk -- Connor Clifton
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak
Scratched: Zane McIntyre, Karson Kuhlman, Steven Kampfer, Noel Acciari, Trent Frederic
Injured: Kevan Miller (lower body), John Moore (upper body)
COLUMBUS
Artemi Panarin -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Josh Anderson
Ryan Dzingel -- Matt Duchene -- Oliver Bjorkstrand
Nick Foligno -- Boone Jenner -- Cam Atkinson
Alexandre Texier -- Brandon Dubinsky -- Markus Hannikainen
Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
Vladislav Gavrikov -- David Savard
Scott Harrington -- Dean Kukan
Sergei Bobrovsky
Joonas Korpisalo
PREGAME NOTES
- The Bruins won’t alter their lineup from Game 5, with Chris Wagner remaining on the fourth line. Noel Acciari is still day-to-day with an upper-body injury. As expected, Kevan Miller will not play at all this series, as he’s yet to rejoin the club for practice so far this postseason.
- Despite blocking a shot in the closing seconds of Game 5, Charlie McAvoy will be back in the lineup and won’t have any limitations for Monday night.
- The Bruins’ top line will look to keep the momentum going after a pair of breakout performances in Games 4 and 5 — with David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron tallying six goals and 11 total points during that stretch. While the Bruins didn’t cash in on either of their two power plays in Game 5, they managed to establish plenty more O-zone time, generating three high-danger scoring chances in 4:00 of 5v4 TOI — the same total generated in over 10 minutes of 5v4 ice time in Game 4.
- The Blue Jackets’ power play still tops all NHL clubs in the postseason with a 29.6 percent success rate, but the Bruins PK has excelled in shutting it down as of late — going a perfect 6-for-6 in Games 4 and 5. In the three games in which Columbus has failed to tally a goal on the man advantage this postseason , the Jackets are 0-3.