COLUMBUS, Ohio _ Make that two straight against one of the best teams in the NHL.
The Blue Jackets fought through a disallowed goal and four penalty kills against the league's second-best power play to beat the Boston Bruins, 3-0, on Tuesday night in the first game between the two teams at Nationwide Arena since Game 6 of last season's Eastern Conference semifinals.
After a four-game trip through the West that yielded six of eight possible points, Alexander Wennberg, Kevin Stenlund and Riley Nash _ three of the more unlikely sources of offense _ ensured the Jackets (23-16-8) of points for the 15th time in the last 17 games and their 12th win over that span.
With the win, the Jackets moved into the second wild-card spot. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 32 shots for his second career and consecutive shutout.
It took less than two minutes of game action to confirm there would be drama and a palpable sense of anxiety from the crowd that remembered how the Jackets' season ended the last time the Bruins were in the arena.
An accidental stick to the head of Tuukka Rask made the Bruins replace their All-Star goalie just 1:12 into the game with Jaroslav Halak.
Jackets forward Emil Bemstrom accidentally hit Rask with the top of his stick as he skated around the goal and past Rask, whose head torqued violently to the left when Bemstrom's stick made contact. Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo cross-checked Bemstrom in the back, which caused Bemstrom to hit Rask.
Almost 10 minutes later, Jackets defenseman David Savard crashed the net to follow up Gustav Nyquist's shot. The puck went into the net between Halak's legs, but the referee waived the goal off almost immediately for goaltender interference.
Only a couple of shifts later the goal stuck.
Savard threw a perfect pass toward center ice for Nathan Gerbe, who put on the brakes as he crossed into the Bruins zone. He threw a pass to Vladislav Gavrikov, who found Wennberg skating parallel to him, and Wennberg finished his shot between Halak's pads.
It was Wennberg's first two-game goal-scoring streak since Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2017.
The Jackets slugged their way through the second period as Merzlikins taunted the Bruins with big stop after big stop. His effort in the net was the only reason the Jackets got out of the second period preserving a one-goal lead.
Stenlund scored on a power play at 5:46 in the third for a pivotal goal. Nash ended all doubt with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle with 6:55 remaining.
