Quote of the Game
Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella: "We had our struggles in the first. Found our game for a number of minutes there but we just couldn't finish the game."
CBJ standouts
Quick Recap
Boston had the jump early in the game but, after a number of good chances there were turned aside by Bobrovsky, needed a shorthanded goal to take a 1-0 lead.
It started with the Blue Jackets unable to control the puck along the left-wing wall, and Noel Acciari took off with speed, crossed the blue line, got to the right circle and beat Bobrovsky to the far side at 10:34.
As the period went on, though, Columbus finally got some traction, though, including chances in transition by Ryan Dzingel and Dubois that were stopped by Tuukka Rask.
The second period was also scoreless, but it wasn't for a lack of chances, and Columbus had a 10-6 edge in shots and started establishing its forecheck. Boston had a great chance early on the power play as Brad Marchand had a chance from the doorstep deflected over the net and glass, then with about 6:30 to play in the frame, Josh Anderson had a great opportunity to tie the game after a strong CBJ forecheck but rang the post behind Rask.
Columbus drew iron again early in the third, and it was Boone Jenner who did so this time, as he cut across the blue line and let go a wrister that caught the bottom of Rask's glove and then the post.
Finally, though, the Blue Jackets would get on the board, and it happened twice in a 13-second span as Columbus took the lead with the fastest back-to-back goals in franchise playoff history.
First, at 7:39, Dubinsky tied the score as both he and Riley Nash deflected a Seth Jones slap shot and it got by Rask. Then, at 7:52, the Jackets took their first lead of the game when Artemi Panarin came into the zone and let loose a slap shot that hit the calf of Dubois and deflected by Rask.
But Boston found its response with 4:35 to go as Coyle scored on the rush. The Bruins forward stepped into a pass from Marcus Johansson in stride in the left circle and beat Bobrovsky by the right pad.
That was all for regulation, leading to the Blue Jackets' first overtime of the postseason. Bobrovsky made a nice early stop on Chris Wagner, but the Bruins won it when Coyle got loose back door and beat Bobrovsky on another pass from Johansson.
By the Numbers
Columbus is now 4-4 all-time in playoff overtimes. ... Jones had two assists and now has a 2-4-6 line in five playoff games. ... After going on the kill just six times in the opening-round series with Tampa Bay, the Jackets were a perfect 4-for-4 on the PK in Game 1. ... Columbus also went 0-for-4 on the power play. ... With Boston's first goal, Columbus trailed for the first time since Game 1 vs. Tampa Bay, a span of 198:40 of game time. … The Blue Jackets have now given up a shorthanded goal in each Game 1 of the playoffs. … Columbus still has been shut out only once in franchise playoff history (Game 2 in 2009 vs. Detroit). … The sellout was TD Garden's 431st in a row including regular season and playoff games dating back to 2009. ... Boston had 75 shot attempts compared to 38 for Columbus.
Roster Report
Columbus kept the same lineup as the last two games of its first-round series, scratching forwards Alex Wennberg, Markus Hannikainen, Lukas Sedlak and Eric Robinson; injured defensemen Markus Nutivaara (upper body) and Adam McQuaid (upper body) as well as Andrew Peeke and Vladislav Gavrikov; and goaltenders Keith Kinkaid and Elvis Merzlikins. Defenseman Ryan Murray also remains out.
Up Next
The Jackets and Bruins get back it at for Game 2 on Saturday with an 8 p.m. faceoff.
