Bruins Top Blue Jackets In SO To Win 7th Straight

Boston Bruins center David Krejci (46) is congratulated after scoring against Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Curtis Sanford during the shootout of an NHL hockey game in Boston, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. The Bruins won 2-1. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON -- Tuukka Rask made 30 saves through overtime and then stopped Columbus' Antoine Vermette in the shootout as the Boston Bruins beat the Blue Jackets 2-1 on Thursday night for their seventh straight win.

Rich Peverley and David Krejci scored to put Boston ahead 2-1 in the shootout, and Rask ended it by stoning Vermette.

Adam McQuaid scored his first goal of the season for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who nearly lost to the team with the NHL's worst record. Derek MacKenzie gave the Blue Jackets (3-13-2) a 1-0 lead early in the second period.

Columbus is winless on the road this season (0-7-1).

The Blue Jackets had several scoring chances thwarted by Rask late in regulation and overtime. Columbus was on a power play for the last 52 seconds of overtime but couldn't get the puck past Rask.

Curtis Sanford played just as well in his first start of the season for Columbus, stopping Brad Marchand on a breakaway early in overtime.

The Bruins scored 10 goals in their previous two games, but were shut down Thursday. Rask stopped Jeff Carter twice in front early in overtime, and Sanford answered with a couple big saves for Columbus.

Sanford, who missed 11 games with an undisclosed lower body injury, made a pad save on Tyler Seguin's one-timer with about 1:45 left in regulation, then got a break when he misplayed the puck in the final minute. The puck slid across the crease, just out of the reach of Boston's Andrew Ference.

Sanford finished with 26 saves.

MacKenzie scored 2:49 into the second period, tipping in a wrist shot from the blue line by Nikita Nikitin. The goal came with 1 second left on a power play, a woeful unit for Columbus this season. It was the 10th power-play goal in 78 chances for the Blue Jackets.

Boston tied it two minutes later when McQuaid's wrist shot from the point got through traffic and past Sanford. Peverley was originally credited with the goal, but it was changed to McQuaid a few minutes later.

Boston came out flat in the first period, failing to get the puck past Columbus' pesky forecheckers early and finished with just six shots in the period.

NOTES: Boston D Johnny Boychuk was out of the lineup because of flu symptoms. ... Daniel Paille returned for Boston after missing three games with a broken nose, and wore a protective mask. ... The Bruins have allowed a power-play goal in four straight games. It is Boston's longest stretch since five in a row in October 2009. ... Boll missed the first 14 games of the season, but has racked up 22 penalty minutes in four games since returning.

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