A dagger from the third line and other Bruins-Blue Jackets takeaways

The Boston Bruins picked up where they left off to begin their 2024 slate. But it took them a bit to find their groove against the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Bruins slept their way through a flat opening 20 minutes. Over that stretch, they put forth a couple of static power play attempts and hardly looked in sync at 5v5 play, resulting in a shorthanded Columbus bunch holding a 12-5 edge in first-period shots on net.

Come the middle frame, the Bruins returned to their forechecking identity early and often. They were rewarded for their effort when Kevin Shattenkirk cashed in for his third goal in as many games, firing a relatively routine shot from the point past Spencer Martin 2:12 into the second.

The Bruins didn’t hold the 1-0 lead for long. Kent Johnson notched the equalizer a mere 1:54 later.

Johnson’s tally didn’t hinder the Bruins. They returned to their aggressive forechecking habits to work their way back on the power play after Morgan Geekie drew a trip on Damon Severson along the walls.

James van Riemsdyk put his team ahead for good on Boston’s final attempt with the man advantage, notching his first goal in 18 games on a double tip.

Van Riemsdyk added a pair of assists in the third, connecting with fellow linemates Danton Heinen and Trent Frederic to secure Boston’s 4-1 win.

Here’s what we learned as the Bruins returned to the top spot in the league-wide standings.

The new look third-line provided the dagger.

The personnel on Boston’s third line from Tuesday may have come as a bit of a surprise.

Perhaps the initial hype around Georgii Merkulov had worn off already. But while the former Ohio State product didn’t provide any eye-opening moments in his first two NHL games, he didn’t exactly look out of place during his stint centering Frederic and van Riemsdyk.

Or maybe Montgomery wanted to give another look at a van Riemsdyk-Frederic-Heinen trio following their solid first impression in Buffalo coming out of the holiday break.

Whatever the reasoning, the move paid off.

“I liked how connected they were,” Montgomery told NESN’s Andy Brickley. “[Columbus’] weak side wing was slashing, and the puck support [from that third line] was excellent. Not only did they have good rush opportunities, but their o-zone play and getting to the net…just the habits and details were excellent.” 

Be it off the rush, a rebound or a created turnover, the third line provided some scoring variety in the second game together.

After his go-ahead tally, van Riemsdyk provided a supportive role to put Tuesday’s tilt out of reach behind Heinen’s rebound marker and Frederic finishing a 2-on-1.

“I think we were being very predictable to each other,” van Riemsdyk told NESN’s Adam Pellerin. “We have some good chemistry. I felt that even in the first game we were playing together…We know how we want to play. We know what the other guys are thinking out there…where we want to put pucks and where we want to be successful. So, I think if we keep doing that, I think we can be productive for the team.”

The Bruins will have more options on their bottom six when Matt Poitras returns from his World Junior appearance. And while he and Merkulov may provide upside in the long run, the van Riemsdyk-Frederic-Heinen trio warrants at least one more look during Boston’s upcoming two-game home slate.

The close-out efforts have significantly improved.

The seven leads the Bruins relinquished in the third period provided an alarming trend, especially over the four-game skid. Conversely, the problems during the final 20 gave this transitional squad a chance to learn from experience.

Within the last two weeks, the Bruins improved on their closing habits. They carried a lead into the third in three of their last four games and only allowed two goals within the final 20 minutes — a garbage time tally in Buffalo and a second-effort power play tally from J.T. Compher in Detroit to cut Boston’s lead to 4-3 late on Sunday.

Unlike their overtime losses to the Rangers and Wild at the beginning of their four-game skid, the Bruins withstood the pushback and desperation from the Sabres, Devils, Wings and Jackets. After watching his third line provide a pair of insurance tallies, Tuesday’s third-period performance caught Montgomery’s eye. 

“I think we’re getting better and better,” Montgomery said to Brickley. “Players are getting more poised, and we’re more comfortable in those situations. I thought tonight was the best of the four.”

Getting that coveted third-period advantage wasn’t easy following a slow start. But on a night of timely secondary scoring, the Bruins turned to a veteran blue-liner to pace the offensive production.

Shattenkirk is pacing Boston’s recent offensive blue-line production.

The former Boston University product has seen it all through his 14-year NHL career.

Shattenkirk’s initial run in his seventh NHL home came with the usual transition of culture and philosophies. He went from serving as a mentor during a rebuilding period in Anaheim into a regular third-pairing role for a veteran Boston bunch.

As a result, the journeyman blue-liner needed time to find his offensive skillset. Over the last few games, he displayed the puck-moving instincts that made him a versatile commodity during his prime years.

The Bruins needed Shattenkirk’s shooting touch in Columbus after firing just five shots on net in the first 20 minutes. Shattenkirk didn’t do anything fancy to notch his third goal in as many games. He simply fired a shot from the point after retrieving the puck following an unorthodox path on Matt Grzelcyk’s D-to-D feed.

“The last couple of years, you’re playing on a team that’s defending a lot. So you’re not jumping up in the rush and having those opportunities as much during the game,” Shattenkirk told reporters. “We obviously have a great group here that ends plays quickly and creates offense. I think it was a good reminder to start building those good habits back again and get that back into my game.”

Shattenkirk’s three goals sparked Boston’s recent scoring uptick from the back end. The Bruins D accounted for 16 points on four goals and 12 assists during their four-game win streak.