David Pastrnak scored 41 seconds into overtime to lift the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 win over the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night, clinching the Presidents’ Trophy and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Pastrnak took Hampus Lindholm’s feed into the offensive zone and finished with the backhand. It was his 53rd goal of the season.
The Bruins (58-12-5, 121 points) also set a single-season franchise record for victories, bouncing back from a Tuesday loss to Nashville. The Presidents’ Trophy for most points in the NHL regular season is the fourth for Boston since it was first awarded in 1985-86.
Tyler Bertuzzi scored the lone Bruins goal of regulation, tying the game in the second period.
Linus Ullmark made 25 saves, including 10 in both the second and third periods.
The Blue Jackets (23-43-8, 54 points) played with a lead after Jack Roslovic scored in the first period.
Michael Hutchinson stopped 29 shots.
Columbus has now lost three straight and six of its last eight games.
The physical contest featured three fights and a combined 30 blocked shots and 54 hits.
Just after the Bruins’ second unsuccessful power play expired, the visitors took a 1-0 lead at the 8:08 mark. Liam Foudy set up Roslovic for a tap-in goal at the end of a 2-on-1 rush.
The Bruins looked to receive a golden opportunity to change the game when Columbus’ Lane Pederson cross-checked Boston captain Patrice Bergeron in the face 9:10 into the second period, but the initial call of a five-minute major was downgraded to a minor penalty.
The ensuing Boston power play still resulted in the game-tying goal as Bertuzzi redirected Pavel Zacha’s slick backhand from the wing into the slot at 10:07.
Ullmark came up with multiple important stops in the opening minutes of the third, including a breakaway against Columbus star Johnny Gaudreau.
Pederson did not return after being taken down in one punch during a second-period fight with Boston’s Trent Frederic. No update on Pederson’s status was given before the game ended.
–Field Level Media
