Boston Bruins draw level in third period, win shootout against Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena

The Boston Bruins moved to 42-24 with 8 overtime losses and 4 points, while the the Columbus Blue Jackets went to 38-24 with 12 overtime losses and 3 points after a 4-3 Boston shootout result at Nationwide Arena. The B’s finished with 38 shots, a 54 percent faceoff win rate, and 2 power-play goals on 4 opportunities as the Jackets logged 24 shots and 1 power-play goal on 2 opportunities.

First period

The Blue Jackets built a 3-0 lead in the first period as their scoring log showed 3 goals in that opening frame. The Bruins recorded 0 goals in the first period despite generating pressure that contributed to a 38-shot night. The Jackets added physical play with 23 hits in the game as the Bruins finished with 21 hits.

Second period

The Bruins stayed off the scoreboard again in the second period, leaving the scoring sequence at 0-0 for that frame on Boston’s side. The B’s special teams kept the game within reach with a power play that produced 2 goals on 5 shots across 4 chances overall, a key swing against a Columbus penalty total of 20 minutes. The Bruins also blocked 14 shots in the game, helping limit second-chance looks as the Jackets finished with 24 blocked shots.

Third period

The Bruins erupted for 3 goals in the third period to erase the deficit, matching the game’s pivotal momentum shift shown in the scoring summary. Pavel Zacha posted 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points, and Viktor Arvidsson added 3 assists as Boston produced 5 total assists in the game. Jeremy Swayman stopped 21 shots on 24 attempts while allowing 3 goals, and the Bruins’ attack finished with a game shooting rate of 8 percent compared with 12 percent for Columbus. Boston Bruins post-match stats also reflected 14 giveaways and 4 takeaways as the B’s chased the equalizer.

Overtime and shootout

Neither team scored in overtime as the Bruins logged 6 overtime shots and the Blue Jackets registered 2. The Bruins settled the game in the shootout with 2 goals on 3 shots, while Swayman turned aside 2 of 3 attempts for 2 shootout saves. The Bruins match rating in this post game analysis centered on the third-period push and the shootout finish, with the Boston Bruins vs Columbus Blue Jackets full match report led by a 3-goal swing after trailing 3-0.

The Bruins are scheduled to host the Dallas Stars at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on 7:00 PM EDT on 2026-03-31, with broadcasts listed on ESPN+, NESN, Victory+, and FOX4-Dallas. Catch the next one live, then run it back with the tape and share this article with other Bruins fans.