BOSTON (AP) - Chad Johnson got the better of Ben Scrivens and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
Johnson stopped 22 shots for his second career shutout, and four different players scored to lead the Bruins to a 4-0 win over the last-place Oilers on Saturday.
“I know my role, and it’s not to be in every night, but it’s to be in when I’m sort of called upon,” said Johnson, who improved to 10-3 on the season. “It’s nice to be able to get more games and get in there and get more comfortable and just try and help the team win.
“For me it’s always just about the wins, but I think when you can add a shutout there, it’s just sort of like a bonus point for myself.”
David Krejci’s 12th goal of the season, a power-play tally at 2:06 of the second period, started the scoring.
Dougie Hamilton, Carl Soderberg and Torey Krug all scored in the third for the Bruins, who won for the sixth time in their past eight games to maintain the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Johnson is a big reason why.
With starter Tuukka Rask set to play for Finland in the upcoming Olympics, Johnson has gone 4-0 in his previous four starts, all coming within the past 17 days.
“His record speaks for itself,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “I think the way he played tonight, even though people are going to say he didn’t get tested much, we know that’s as big a challenge for a goaltender as any, especially when you’re playing a team like that that does have a lot of skill.”
Johnson could see even more of an increased role after the Olympics, too.
“It will be important to feel good about having Chad in net and knowing he can do the job,” Julien said.
The Oilers are excited about their goaltender as well.
Acquired from Los Angeles on Jan. 15, Scrivens was coming off a scintillating performance against San Jose on Wednesday, when he set the NHL regular-season record for saves in a regulation shutout with 59 during the Oilers’ 3-0 win over the Sharks.
He made 37 saves Saturday, including nine in the first period.
But just 26 seconds into the second period, with Edmonton breaking out of its own zone, Scrivens was penalized for tripping Brad Marchand just outside the crease, setting up Boston’s third power play of the game.
Scrivens scrambled from side to side midway through the man advantage, denying a pair of doorstep rebounds, but his shutout run ended at 126 minutes, 41 seconds when Krejci’s shot from above the right circle was deflected into the net by Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
“I don’t think he was trying to duplicate a 59-save shutout,” Johnson said. “I think he just tries to help his team win. That’s the same thing with me.”
Hamilton netted his sixth of the season at 6:43 of the third when he scooped up his own rebound behind the net and swiftly slipped it past Scrivens’ right leg, setting off a scoring spree for Boston.
Soderberg added his eighth of the season at 13:05 on a wrister that sailed over Scrivens’ glove, and Krug’s 12th of the season came on a power play with 4:18 to play off an assist from Zdeno Chara.
“He was comfortable in there,” Oilers coach Dallas Eakins said of Scrivens. “It’s unfortunate that they got the second and third one like that, but I thought Ben was fine.
“He looks comfortable to me in there and he’s squared up and under control and that’s what is important to me.”
NOTES: Veteran defenseman Mark Fraser made his Edmonton debut after being acquired from Toronto for two prospects Friday. … The Bruins won their 12th straight against the Oilers, their longest active stretch versus any opponent. Boston’s last loss came on Oct. 17, 2000. … Captain Andrew Ference, who signed with the Oilers as a free agent during the offseason, made his return to Boston after spending seven seasons with the Bruins, helping the team win the 2011 Stanley Cup. Ference received a standing ovation when shown on the scoreboard during a first-period timeout. … Jarome Iginla and Chara each had two assists for Boston.
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