BSJ Game Report: Blue Jackets 3, Bruins 0 - Rask injured as B’s fail to respond in frustrating loss

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 3-0 loss to the Blue Jackets in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

HEADLINES

Rask knocked out of the game: After relinquishing a three-goal lead against the Flyers on Monday night, the Bruins relished a chance to turn the page in short order thanks to Tuesday’s road matchup against the Blue Jackets. But just over a minute into regulation at Nationwide Arena, a reeling Bruins club was sucker-punched by the opposition — literally. Before the Bruins could get settle into any semblance of a groove, their netminder was taken out of the game, as Blue Jackets forward Emil Bemstrom caught Tuukka Rask in the side of the head with what appeared to be his fist while skating through Boston’s crease. 

No penalty was called on the play, but Rask immediately dropped to the ice before eventually exiting the game. He didn’t return for the remainder of the game, with Jaroslav Halak pressed into service. Stating the obvious here, but losing Rask for any extended stretch is a brutal blow for the Bruins — especially with the veteran in the midst of one of his finest seasons in years (.925 save percentage). Boston faced a similar situation last season, when Rask was concussed during a home matchup against the Rangers back on Jan. 19, 2019. Fortunately for the B’s following that incident, Rask did not miss an extended stretch of game action — as the B’s bye week began right after that game against New York.

The Bruins might catch a similar break this year, as Boston will only play three more games before its bye week begins — giving Rask plenty of time to recuperate. But given the nature of these traumatic brain injuries (and Rask’s history with concussions), it can be hard to chart out a recovery timeline with a situation like this. 

Boston fails to respond: Losing your starting goalie just 1:12 into a game might be a tough pill to swallow, but shame on the Bruins for not putting forth much of a response in the following 58 minutes of regulation.

Not only was there not much in terms of a physical response against Bemstrom (aside from a brief “scuffle” with Joakim Nordstrom), but Boston also failed to let the scoreboard do the talking against an injury-riddled Blue Jackets roster. 

By the time the final horn sounded, the Blue Jackets skated off their home ice unscathed — and with a 3-0 victory secured against the Bruins. 

Boston’s 6-5 shootout loss to the Flyers on Monday might be a miserable affair, but tonight might have been an even more disheartening result. Yes, the Blue Jackets play a stingy game and Elvis Merzļikins is in the midst of a hot stretch in net. But to get shut out in a game where your No. 1 goalie is injured by way of a cheap shot? That’s unacceptable. 

ONE UP

Coyle Line: The Heinen-Coyle-Ritchie line was a bright spot for the Bruins on Tuesday night in what was a largely listless showing up front. In that trio’s 8:40 of ice time, Boston had a 14-4 edge in shot attempts to go along with a 6-2 edge in scoring chances. 

FOUR DOWN

Power play: Having entered Tuesday’s matchup with a power-play goal in 14 straight games, one had to figure that the Bruins’ proficiency on the man advantage was going to give out at some point. But this ended up being a pretty rough time for the power-play unit to hit a bump, as Boston was unable to convert on any of its four 5v4 opportunities in Columbus. 

The Bruins/ Refs' response: Shame on the Bruins for not launching a more forceful response after watching their netminder get knocked out of the game in the second minute of play, but tonight was also a careless showing from the on-ice officials in a game that very well could have got out of hand. 

After inviting plenty of retaliatory action for not calling a penalty on Bemstrom’s initial hit, the officials also didn’t let the Bruins do much damage whenever they had a chance to dole out some post-whistle punishment. For example, Joakim Nordstrom was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct on …. this sequence? Yikes.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1217257975737438208

Still, it all goes back to a tough, tough look for the Bruins, who didn’t do much to make the Blue Jackets pay for what was a cheap shot on their netminder. 

Jaroslav Halak: Halak might have been thrown into the fire due to Bemstrom’s actions, but the B’s netminder’s recent slide continued, surrendering three goals on 27 total shots. In his last 10 outings, Halak has posted a save percentage of .900 or lower seven times. 

Bergeron Line: While the middle-six units at least managed to generate some solid looks against Merzļikins in net, Boston’s top trio of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak were awfully quiet. In their 9:57 of 5v5 ice time together, Boston was outshot, 3-2. Not good enough. 

PLAY OF THE GAME

https://twitter.com/BruinsCLNS/status/1217267112907022336

PARTING THOUGHT

Seems about right: 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1217246710390456324

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will return home for a short one-game stint at TD Garden, with the B’s set to welcome in the Penguins on Thursday night. The Pens, who have been crushed by the injury bug this season, saw Sidney Crosby return to the lineup on Tuesday. The star center hasn’t played since Nov. 9 after undergoing core muscle surgery. Puck drop for Thursday's game is set for 7 p.m.