Recap: Bruins fall flat in ugly 5-2 loss to Columbus

Ugly!

After back-to-back losses against divisional opponents, a game against the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets should have been just what the doctor ordered for the Bruins — especially when you consider Columbus was playing the second night of a back-to-back.

Instead, the Bruins put forth a lifeless performance that saw them fall behind 4-0 before clawing back two consolation goals and losing 5-2.

Yegor Chinakhov and Boone Jenner led the way for Columbus with 1G-1A and 2A, respectively. Back-up goalie Spencer Martin made 31 saves in the win.

The first 15 minutes were even enough, but things started going downhill when Dmitri Voronkov somehow snuck the puck through Jeremy Swayman. 1-0 Columbus.

Ivan Provorov beat Swayman with a shot through traffic to make it 2-0 Columbus six minutes into the second period.

That would be the end of the night for Swayman, who got an early hook after making 17 saves on 19 shots.

Chinakhov took advantage of a turnover ten minutes later, cashing in on a breakaway to make it 3-0 Columbus.

Kirill Marchenko would put this one away with a 5-on-3 PPG, making it 4-0 Columbus five minutes into the third. Start the bus!

Poitras got the Bruins on the board four minutes later, finishing a nice pass from Charlie McAvoy to make it 4-1 Columbus.

Trailing by a bunch, the Bruins pulled the goalie real early. It didn’t work out, as Justin Danforth scored an empty-netter to make it 5-1 Columbus.

Beecher continued his nice run of games with a great tip of a Kevin Shattenkirk shot to make it 5-2 Columbus in garbage time.

And that’s all she wrote! 5-2 Columbus final. Third loss in a row for the Bruins.

Game notes

• Woof. I wrote in this morning’s preview that the game isn’t played on paper, and this one sure proved that. This game was a mixture of team-wide flatness, bad bounces, lack of a save or two, too many penalties…OK, that’s enough mixture. It was just a mess.
• You could talk yourself into some storylines with the two other recent losses: the Bruins have struggled with Detroit lately and the Rangers game was a back-to-back. Tonight? There’s really no excuse. Columbus played last night; the Bruins didn’t. The Blue Jackets were playing their back-up goalie. The Bruins are healthy.
• It was a history-making night for Columbus, as the Jackets had four Russian players score — the first time in NHL history that has happened.
• Per Conor Ryan of Boston.com, Jim Montgomery said post-game that Swayman’s quick hook was less an indictment of Swayman and more of a team that had “no life.”
• The Bruins took five minor penalties on the night, including a killer delay of game on Hampus Lindholm that led to the Columbus 5-on-3.
• It’s kind of unfair to single guys out after a terrible team-wide performance, but at some point, the heat has to be on Brad Marchand a little bit. Along with some generally undisciplined play in recent games, Marchand hasn’t scored a goal in seven games and is pointless in his last four.

The B’s will have some time to feel shame, as they’re off until Thursday, when San Jose comes to town.