The Blue Jackets lost Game 5 in heartbreaking fashion when David Pastrnak scored what proved to be the winner for the Bruins with 1:28 to go, and they now face elimination as the series moves to Columbus for Game 6 Monday night.
But Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella liked what he saw from his team, so much so that after the game he guaranteed his team would win Game 6 and be back in Boston for Game 7.
"The surge in the third, we came back, absolutely" Tortorella said. "Things happen for a reason. We have chances to tie it again, doesn't. Things happen for a reason, and I truly believe that. We'll be back here for Game 7."
Tortorella was asked a follow-up question about the guarantee, which he responded to by quickly reiterating, "We will."
When asked what made him so confident, Tortorella once again kept it short and simple: "Because we will."
There were, of course, reasons for Tortorella to feel good about the third period. The Blue Jackets scored three goals in a 3:25 stretch beginning at the 10:33 mark of the period to first cut a 2-0 lead to 2-1, then after the Bruins scored again, to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 3-3 tie.
But Columbus also gave up three goals and several more chances in what was a wide-open period, and it was the Bruins who found the late winner. The Blue Jackets had a few good chances to tie it in the final minute, but Matt Duchene hit the post, Tuukka Rask robbed Cam Atkinson, and Charlie McAvoy laid out to block an Artemi Panarin shot.
Clearly, Tortorella believes the result will be different if the Blue Jackets play the same way Monday night, and he's not worried about giving the Bruins bulletin-board material.
To the Bruins' credit, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak didn't take the bait when they were asked about Tortorella's comments during their postgame press conference.
When asked if they had any response, Marchand answered with a simple, "No," while Pastrnak gave a quick shake of his head in agreement.
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