Finally. A win on the road.
A three-goal first period fueled by Mathieu Olivier’s fight and shorthanded goal helped the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Boston Bruins 5-1 on Monday night at TD Garden.
Dmitri Voronkov, James van Riemsdyk, Justin Danforth, and Yegor Chinakhov scored.
Just decided to look this up: the Jackets 5-1 win vs. the Bruins on Monday night tied for the largest #CBJ win in Boston in franchise history. Matched a 5-1 win all the way back on Nov. 10, 2001.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) November 19, 2024
Road Streak Snapped
Columbus came into Monday’s matchup with seven consecutive road losses. Their first and only win away from Nationwide Arena in Denver was a 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 12.
Monday’s victory also snapped a streak of six straight road games of two or fewer goals thanks to tallies by Voronkov (3) at 5:17, Olivier (6) at 10:39, van Riemsdyk (3) at 19:28, Danforth's (3) shorthanded goal at 7:19 of the third period, and Chinakhov (5) at 14:10.
It's the Jackets' first regulation win in Boston since a 6-4 win on Feb. 22, 2016. Columbus made lineup changes heading into this one and the results paid off.
A lot of changes to the lineup tonight for the #CBJ.
— CBJ Stats (@BlueJacketStats) November 18, 2024
Pyyhtia and Harris out; van Riemsdyk and Jiricek in.
Sillinger and Chinakhov together on line three.
Labanc elevated to line two.
Full game preview here: https://t.co/2lyRzTdjES
Olivier’s Big Night
Olivier is a fun player to watch. You know he'll do a little bit of anything when a spark is needed.
And against the Bruins, he was two-thirds of the way to the Gordie Howe hat trick with a fight at 2:12 of the first period and his career-best sixth goal at 10:39 to give Columbus a 2-0 lead.
The tally was unassisted.
Has any player been a better surprise than Mathieu Olivier this season? His sixth goal of the season here is a new career-high and extends the #CBJ lead to 2-0 at 10:39. Oh, and it was super slick. Oh, and short-handed! pic.twitter.com/vC5MPYLsld
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 19, 2024
Just what everyone expected.
— Brian Giesenschlag (@BGiesenschlag) November 19, 2024
Mathieu Olivier tied for the team lead in goals.
What a season for 24 so far!
*ding ding ding*
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 17, 2024
Mathieu Olivier and Arber Xhekaj with a dandy. Seems like Olivier won it, but there certainly wasn't a loser in that one. Great battle. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/k0Cq5dvRsQ
David Jiricek played for the first time since Nov. 9 in Los Angeles, playing 8:14.
Elvis Thrives
Columbus committed six penalties which will be a point of emphasis by head coach Dean Evason. The Jackets were in the box four times on Saturday against the Montreal Canadians.
However, the Blue Jackets were plus-two on the scoreboard in the goal-scoring department.
We alluded to Olivier’s first-period shorthanded goal. Then Danforth got in on the act with his goal in the third period at 7:19 to give Columbus the 4-1 lead.
One short-handed goal entering the game. Two tonight. Here's Danforth's shorty in the third period to make it a 4-1 #CBJ lead. pic.twitter.com/nE8N1cijQg
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 19, 2024
This marks the sixth time in #CBJ history they've had two short-handed goals in the same game.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) November 19, 2024
Thanks, as always, to https://t.co/sDy2TtWqwh: pic.twitter.com/ssUZoQ6oot
At the other end, Merzlikins played well, making 28 saves and helping to defend all the penalty kills, keeping the Briuns to only one of six on the power play. Charlie Coyle was the only goal-scorer for Boston, scoring his fourth of the year in the second period at 14:30.
Per MoneyPuck, Merzlikins' goals saved above expected was 2.04. He's now 4-5-1 with a 2.72 goals against average and a .905 save percentage.
Bolts
Columbus returns home to play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, Nov. 20 from Nationwide Arena at 7:00 p.m. ET.
