With a commanding 3-1 lead within their grasp, the Columbus Blue Jackets could smell blood in the water. Nationwide arena was ready for a huge jackets victory to put them within a win of the Eastern Conference final. The time was now… until it wasn’t
The Boston Bruins had other ideas.
The Blue Jackets held the powerful line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak in check the past few games but Pastrnak would strike just 3:33 into the game. A beautiful cross ice feed from Charlie McAvoy would lead to a Pastrnak blast from the circle to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead. The Jackets needed to play harder against that line but the Bruins would make them pay in just a few short minutes once again.
The power trio of Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak would make their prescense felt again at 7:18 of the 1st period. Marchand would streak down the wing and wire a perfect pass to a pinching Bergeron who would rip a wrister past Bobrovsky for the Bruins’ second goal of the game and second of the first period. The Blue Jackets were in dire straits early and the Bruins we’re jumping on them. The Jackets needed a spark and it came in the form of Artemi Panarin.
At 8:46 of the 1st period, Panarin wristed a shot up and over Tuukka Rask to cut the Blue Jackets deficit in half. After going to the front of the net, a rebound would zone right in on Panarin’s stick and he would hammer the shot over Rask. The Jackets had the spark they needed and it was time to get this game under control. The Bruins would keep the Jackets in check and then drive the dagger into their hearts in the 3rd period.
After a hard fought second period with some great action from both teams, the Bruins would strike again at 8:40 of the 3rd period. A rebound after a big shot from the point would find Sean Kuraly in front of net. Kuraly would wrist the puck past Bobrovsky and give the Bruins a huge 3-1 lead. Time was running out for the Blue Jackets? Could they dig down and find two goals to send it to overtime? Bergeron would strike again to stop any hope of a comeback.
At 17:30 of the 3rd period, Bergeron would seal the Bruins victory with their fourth goal of the game and his second of the night. After a rocket of a shot from David Pastrnak, Bergeron would tap home the rebound of the shot for a power play goal and a 4-1 Bruins lead. The Bruins’ game four victory has tied the series at two games a piece with the series now becoming a best of three the rest of the way.
Game Five is Saturday night in Boston. Keep it right here on Txhthockey.com for all the hockey news
