Yegor Chinakhov’s goal and assist helped the Columbus Blue Jackets earn a 5-2 win over the visiting Boston Bruins on Monday night.
The Blue Jackets took the lead on Dmitri Voronkov’s first-period goal and never looked back, scoring twice in each of the last two periods en route to their third win in four games.
Kirill Marchenko scored on a power play, Ivan Provorov and Justin Danforth also added goals, and Boone Jenner logged two assists for Columbus.
Spencer Martin made 31 saves.
The Blue Jackets’ dominance also showed in a 40-33 shots edge, including 19-9 in the second period.
Rookies Matthew Poitras and John Beecher each scored in the third period for Boston, which has lost three straight in regulation for the first time since April 2022.
Jeremy Swayman made 17 saves on 19 shots before coach Jim Montgomery made the Bruins’ first in-game goaltending change of the season, inserting Linus Ullmark after the second Columbus goal.
Ullmark, who allowed seven goals in a Saturday loss to the New York Rangers, stopped 18 of the 20 shots he faced.
Columbus scored first at the 15:52 mark when Voronkov spun out of the corner and got to the net to stuff the puck past Swayman on the short side.
Provorov doubled the Blue Jackets’ lead at 5:38 of the second, whipping a shot from the left circle that sailed home through the screen of Voronkov and past Swayman’s blocker.
Boston did not register a shot on a power play after Voronkov took down star defenseman Charlie McAvoy, and a Matt Grzelcyk turnover led to Chinakhov’s breakaway tally at 16:42 — less than two minutes after the man advantage expired — that made it 3-0.
A five-on-three for 1:33 early in the final frame allowed Columbus to score its fourth goal. At 4:51, Jenner pounced on the rebound of Patrik Laine’s drive and slipped it to Marchenko for an emphatic finish at the left crease.
The Bruins got on the board with 11:36 remaining. Poitras broke his nine-game goal drought, finishing McAvoy’s pass from the slot out to the wing.
Danforth’s empty-netter from the right side iced the Columbus win with 6:19 left.
With 2:20 to go, Boston’s Beecher deflected in a Kevin Shattenkirk point shot for his third goal in five games.
–Field Level Media
