COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- The Boston Bruins have felt at home on the road this season. Facing the Blue Jackets here was no challenge.
Glen Murray scored twice and Felix Potvin turned aside 24 shots as Boston scored four times in the opening 18 1/2 minutes and cruised to a 4-0 triumph over Columbus.
Brian Rolston and defenseman Dan McGillis also scored for Boston, which improved to 7-0-1-1 in its last nine road games and continued to dominate Columbus. The Bruins have won their last three games against the Blue Jackets by a combined 19-2 and controlled this season's only matchup right from the start.
McGillis scored 5:09 into the contest and Murray recorded his fourth goal 97 seconds later. After Rolston tallied with 5:35 left in the period, Murray made it 4-0 with his first multi-goal game of the season.
"I thought we came out hard," Boston coach Mike Sullivan said. "That's an area of our game that we've tried to get better at. I thought we did a real good job tonight. ... We got into the type of game we wanted to."
Columbus goaltender Marc Denis was pulled after allowing four goals on 14 shots in the opening period. The Blue Jackets, who are 2-7-1-1 in their last 11 games, had allowed just three first-period goals all season.
"I was disappointed with the way we came out. We didn't make a save and we didn't show up to play," Blue Jackets coach Doug MacLean said. "It was discouraging."
Murray has a goal and five assists in his last five games, while Rolston has tallied four times and set up two scores over the same span.
Potvin faced just three shots in the opening period and cruised to his second shutout this season and 30th career.
"We stuck to our game plan," Potvin said. "We played so well in the first period."
McGillis scored his first regular-season goal since January 6 - he did score three times in the playoffs - beating Denis with a slap shot. Murray, who last had a multi-goal game on March 22, beat Denis to the glove side with a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle.
After Rolston scored his sixth of the season, Murray tipped home a loose puck for his fifth goal.
"It was one of those games where we didn't get off to the start we wanted," Denis said. "I didn't get off to the start I wanted. I played a horrendous first period as well."
