Bruins vs Blue Jackets Live: Real-Time Score Updates, Key Plays & How to Watch Tonight’s NHL Clash

First-place points on the line as Boston Bruins visit Columbus Blue Jackets tonight Columbus, Ohio — Two clubs locked in tense playoff races collide this evening when the Boston Bruins (41-24-8) skate into Nationwide Arena to face the Columbus Blue Jackets (38-24-11). It’s the second of three regular-season meetings; Boston claimed the opener 4-2 on Feb. 26 and will try to clinch the season series while Columbus looks to draw level. Why this matchup matters • Standings pressure: Boston sits fourth in the Atlantic Division with 90 points, only two behind third-place Montreal, while Columbus is fourth in the Metropolitan with 87 points and chasing Pittsburgh for the final automatic berth. Every point is critical as the calendar flips to April. • Momentum swings: The Bruins are 6-2-2 in their last 10 and coming off a 6-3 win over Minnesota sparked by Pavel Zacha’s two-goal night. The Blue Jackets have dropped three of five, including a 3-2 loss to San Jose on Saturday, but are 20-9-7 at home this season. Players to watch • David Pastrnak, RW, BOS – League-wide MVP chatter follows the Czech star, who leads Boston with 92 points (29 G, 63 A). • Morgan Geekie, C, BOS – A breakout 34-goal campaign has given the Bruins a lethal secondary scoring option. • Zach Werenski, D, CBJ – Columbus’ captain paces the Jackets with 77 points and quarterbacks a power play clicking at 19.9 %. • Kirill Marchenko, RW, CBJ – The Russian sniper’s 25 goals include six on the man advantage. Between the pipes Bruins: Jeremy Swayman (29-15-4, 2.72 GAA, .908 SV%) is expected to start after winning five of his past six appearances. Blue Jackets: Rookie Jet Greaves (24-14-8, 2.56 GAA, .910 SV%) owns the league’s third-best home save percentage among goalies with 20+ starts. Key numbers • Goals per game – BOS 3.33, CBJ 3.12 • Goals against – BOS 3.07, CBJ 3.03 • Faceoff edge – Boston ranks 5th in the NHL at 53.0 % draws won. Betting line DraftKings lists Columbus as a –155 money-line favorite; the over/under is 6.5 goals. What to expect Boston’s disciplined forecheck and elite faceoff unit will test a Blue Jackets defense that struggles against sustained zone time. Columbus, however, boasts speed on the wings and a home crowd that fuels early surges—watch for Werenski to activate off the rush. Special teams could decide the night: the Bruins’ penalty kill sits eighth at 82.6 %, while the Jackets’ power play has scored in four of the last six games. How to watch Puck drops at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and regional sports networks. Live streaming is available via the ESPN app with a subscription. Bottom line With just 9 games left for each side, “Bruins vs Blue Jackets” is more than a headline—it’s a playoff preview. Expect playoff-level intensity, highlight-reel talent on both blue lines, and potentially crucial tie-breaker points when the final horn sounds in Columbus.