New line combo lifts Bruins in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Bruins powered along to their fourth consecutive win, pinning a 4-1 loss on the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena Tuesday night, paced by goals from James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Shattenkirk, Danton Heinen, and Trent Frederic.
The win, combined with the Rangers’ 6-1 loss to Carolina, lifted the 23-7-6 Bruins back into sole possession of first place in the overall standings. They had not won four straight since October, when they opened the new season with six consecutive wins.
Following the second-period strikes by van Riemsdyk and Shattenkirk, Heinen bumped the lead to 3-1 at 7:29 of the third. Then with 4:06 to go, Frederic potted his third goal in two games. JVR, Frederic and Heinen all skated on a newly assembled line, with Frederic as center, a line that played together last week in Buffalo. They finished the night a combined 3-2–5.
“Really pleased . . . they played a big heavy, game,” said coach Jim Montgomery, reflecting on the new trio. “That third goal [by Heinen] that extended the lead was huge for us.”
Linus Ullmark stopped 26 shots to pick up the win, improving his record to 12-2-4.
The Bruins return home for their next two, hosting the Penguins at the Garden Thursday night, and then the Lightning Saturday.
After the sides traded goals early in the second period, van Riemsdyk sent the Bruins to the room with a 2-1 lead at the intermission with his strike with 6:53 to go before the break.
Parked at the top of the crease on the power play — his favorite place to work — he deflected in a shot that Hampus Lindholm sailed in from
center-point, just inside the blue line. The shot was first tipped by Jake DeBrusk high in the slot and then ticked in off JVR for the tiebreaker.
Van Riemsdyk was back in the lineup after sitting out Saturday’s win in Detroit. He entered the night in search of only his second goal since Nov. 18 — a stretch of 17 games. Not the bountiful production the Bruins envisioned when they signed the big winger last July as a free agent.
“The team’s been winning, so obviously you want to contribute,” said van Riemsdyk. “Again, over the years, obviously people would probably consider me more of a goal scorer, but I think my assist-to-goal ratio is pretty even over my career. This year’s it’s a little more exaggerated, but that’s how it goes. The team’s been winning, so I am happy to contribute any way I can.”
Only 2:12 into the second period, after a flat first period, the Bruins scored the night’s first goal — Shattenkirk connecting for his third goal in as many games.
With help from fellow ex-BU Terriers Matt
Grzelcyk and Charlie Coyle, Shattenkirk snapped off a shot from along the right wing wall that appeared to be meant only as a way of advancing the puck toward the net. So much for appearance: The puck found its way through a screen of several players and landed in the net, about halfway up the right post.
“Seems like those ones go in for you when things are going well,” noted Shattenkirk. “A lot of time when I shoot, I am not shooting to score . . . it’s shooting for tips. More than anything, it’s to create a rebound and that’s what I was doing there.”
It gave Shattenkirk his fifth goal this season, most among all Bruins blueliners. He scored two of those in Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Devils at the Garden.
The 1-0 lead was erased in short order, though, when the Blue Jackets connected for the equalizer at 4:06. Kent Johnson was set up nicely in the slot, between the circles, and snapped a sizzling wrister by Ullmark’s glove hand.
The Bruins lost the services of rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei for a stretch in the second period. Lohrei, who played his college hockey up the street at Ohio State, first exited at the 9:50 mark while on a penalty kill. A puck ramped up off his stick and struck him in the mouth — reminiscent of the 2019 Cup Final when a Blues shot ran up captain Zdeno Chara’s stick and broke his jaw.
Lohrei, blood trickling out of his mouth, returned to the bench and took a shift late in the period. But the bleeding persisted and he needed to return for more help prior to second intermission. He was back in action for the start of the third. Post-game, Lohrei reported that he lost one of his lower teeth.
Frederic’s goal was the most stylish of the bunch. He collected a smooth feed from JVR, dragged it and finished with a quick pop to the left side from short range.
“He practices that,” said Montgomery. “You could see his hands on that one.”
“I’ve been trying maybe to one-time those kinds of chances too much,” said Heinen. “It’s fun playing with those guys . . . I thought we played well.”