Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Boston's bargains power team to first win of 2024

January 3, 2024, 4:21 AM ET [23 Comments]
Ty Anderson
Boston Bruins Blogger •Bruins Feature Columnist • RSSArchiveCONTACT
I don’t have the banking records and nightly cap figures on hand, I admit, but it’s hard to imagine a more economically-friendly scoring night than the one the Bruins got Tuesday night in Columbus.

In what finished as a 4-1 victory for Jim Montgomery’s squad, the Bruins got goals from Kevin Shattenkirk, James van Riemsdyk, Danton Heinen, and Trent Frederic. The total cost of those goals in yearly cap hit? A stunning $5.125 million. Or, if you want it broken down by cap hit per scorer, a cool $1.281 million. Oh, baby, talk about savings.

Following a scoreless opening frame, the Bruins jumped out to a 1-0 lead behind Shattenkirk’s third goal in as many games. It was yet another ‘Boston University Terrier Magic’ (credit to Jim Montgomery for that term), with the assists on Shattenkirk’s goal going to Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie Coyle.

The Jackets tied things up just 1:54 later behind Kent Johnson’s sixth goal of the campaign, but the Bruins recaptured the lead before the end of the middle frame thanks to a power-play deflection off the stick of James van Riemsdyk for his seventh goal of the season.



The goal was van Riemsdyk’s first marker since Dec. 15 on Long Island, and highlighted what was a three-point night for the veteran winger.

The three-point outing pushed ‘JVR’ up to 25 points through 34 games with the Black and Gold, and made him the fastest first-year Bruin to hit 25 points since Marc Savard accomplished the feat in 19 games in 2006-07, according to the National Hockey League.

Heinen, meanwhile, broke through for his first goal since Dec. 9, bringing him up to 12 points since turning his pro tryout agreement into a league-minimum, $775,000 deal with the club on Oct. 30. All of the 28-year-old Heinen’s points have come at even strength, and the versatile wing has out-performed some heavy-hitting names on that front since making his season debut.



In net, Linus Ullmark finished with a 26-of-27 effort for his 12th win of the season. And going back to his last appearance, which came last Saturday at home against the Devils, Ullmark has stopped 49 of the 50 shots he’s faced since his ugly-looking goal against on a low-percentage look by Luke Hughes.

The Bruins return to action Thursday night at home against the Penguins.
Join the Discussion: » 23 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Ty Anderson
» Plenty of second-guessing after Game 5 loss
» Bruins could get two lineup boosts for Game 5
» Bruins take 3-1 series lead with Game 4 win
» Marchand takes center stage; Time to stick with Sway?
» Leafs tie series while B's suffer massive loss on D