COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Boone Jenner got off his sick bed and rung up his first career hat trick.
The Columbus center had a fever and missed his team's loss to the New York Islanders on Monday. His return to the lineup on Tuesday night powered the Blue Jackets to a much-needed 7-4 win over the Boston as they scrap to stay above the wild-card line in the Eastern Division with a dozen games left.
"It wasn't fun yesterday not feeling well and not being with the guys, so it was nice today to just get back out there," said the 25-year-old Jenner, whose goal in the second period was the 100th of his career.
Jenner, said Columbus coach John Tortorella, "gave us great life tonight."
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 27 shots, and Josh Anderson and Zach Werenski each had a goal and three assists for the Blue Jackets. The four points were a career high for each.
The Blue Jackets have taken plenty of shots but haven't been able to score goals lately. They were shut out for the third time in six games on Monday, but on Tuesday the pucks started going in.
Columbus scored five unanswered goals to go up 5-1 before the Bruins came roaring back with three straight in a wild second period to make it a one-goal game. Werenski's first goal in 30 games provided Columbus some breathing room late, and Jenner's empty-netter completed his hat trick with 47 seconds left.
"We just talked about staying on the gas, staying on the attack, and that's what we did there in the third," Werenski said. "I don't think we gave them much. They're down by a few so they're going to have some chances, but (Bobrovsky) stood tall and we played well defensively."
Brad Marchand had two goals and an assist, and Patrice Bergeron a goal and an assist to lead Boston, which lost its second game since stringing together a 20-game points streak. The Bruins stayed in second place behind Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division.
Tuukka Rask had 19 saves on 24 shots before being replaced in the second period by Jaroslav Halak, who made nine more stops.
Both teams scored short-handed goals in the first period.
Ryan Dzingel's goal in the first for Columbus was his career-high 23rd, and Matt Duchene scored in the second for the Blue Jackets. Chris Wagner got the other goal for Boston, pulling the Bruins within 5-3 before Marchand scored late in the second to make it a one-goal game.
"Sooner or later you're going to have a game where the other team is better than you, for a variety of different reasons," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "So I think that the fact that our guys had the will to come back is a good positive. I tend to be an optimist, but there's a lot of things we need to do better. I'm a little disappointed in some of the players."
NOTES: Columbus' Artemi Panarin took offense at a slash by Boston's Charlie McAvoy in the second period and both dropped the gloves and engaged. It was the second NHL fight for both. ... Boston D Matt Grzelcyk didn't make the trip after suffering an upper-body injury in Sunday's game against Pittsburgh. ... Boston recalled F Trent Frederic recalled from Providence of the AHL on Tuesday. ... Columbus has scored short-handed goals in two of the last three games.
UP NEXT
Boston: At Winnipeg on Thursday.
Columbus: Hosts Carolina on Friday.
