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Sports

Bruins, Blue Jackets clash in Columbus

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

(SportsNetwork.com) - Undone by a slow start last season, the Columbus Blue Jackets look for their third victory in four games to begin the 2013-14 campaign as they play host on Saturday afternoon to the Boston Bruins.

The Blue Jackets dropped a 4-3 home decision to Calgary to begin the season, but responded with consecutive road wins versus the New York Islanders and Buffalo. They rolled past the Sabres 4-1 on Thursday thanks to a goal and two assists from Marian Gaborik.

Cam Atkinson had a goal and an assist, while Brandon Dubinsky and Nick Foligno also scored. Defenseman Ryan Murray logged his first NHL point with an assist and Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves.

"It was a bit of a run-and-gun game," said Dubinsky. "It's really not the way we want to play, but I thought we were able to play our style later in the second period and the third."

Columbus has not won three of four to begin a season since going 5-1-0 in 2009 and will hit the road for three straight after this home contest.

The Bruins opened with consecutive home wins over Tampa Bay and Detroit by a 7-2 margin, but ended their season-starting residency with a 2-0 loss to Colorado on Thursday. Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped all 39 Boston shots.

"They were doing exactly what we talked about doing before the game. They were moving their feet and were first to pucks in the first period. We were slow getting there and gave them some life, I think," said Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron. "They played a good game from the get go, but still, we have to be ready right from the start."

Tuukka Rask made 28 stops for the Bruins, who were looking for their first 3-0-0 start since 2001-02.

"I don't think you have to overreact after a game like this," said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. "I don't think our guys gave a poor effort but we know we can be better."

The Bruins have won three straight over the Blue Jackets, picking up a 5-3 victory in Columbus on Dec. 10, 2011 in the last meeting following consecutive shootout wins.

Boston is 7-3-2 all-time versus the Jackets and 4-1-2 in Columbus.

Rask is 3-1-0 with a 1.72 goals-against average and .942 save percentage against the Blue Jackets, while Bobrovsky made 29 saves on 31 shots faced in his only career start against the Bruins, a loss on Dec. 1, 2010 with Philadelphia.