3 stars of the game from Bruins’ win over the Blue Jackets

After starting their latest run by beating the San Jose Sharks, then taking down the Maple Leafs in an electric game on Saturday, the Boston Bruins picked up their third straight win when they beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on home ice on Sunday.

While this one started slow, with no goals for either team until the end of the second period, it ended on a high note for the Bruins as they took care of business at home. There are a few players in particular to thank. Here are the Bruins’ three stars of the game.

Jeremy Swayman

After Linus Ullmark held off the Maple Leafs on Saturday to lead the Bruins to a win, Swayman had an even better showing on Sunday as the Bruins capped off the back-to-back sweep. Only one of Columbus’s 25 shots got past the Alaskan goalie, with Swayman stopping the other 24 en route to recording a .960 save percentage and his ninth win of the season.

It was also a much better ending for Swayman than his last start against Columbus, during which he was pulled for Linus Ullmark in a Bruins loss.

Charlie McAvoy

Number 73 on defense had a big game for the Bruins, leading all Boston skaters with 24:30 of ice time while also picking up a pair of assists, with each coming on a Bruins power play. McAvoy now has four points in as many games, with all four being assists.

Brad Marchand

Zero question on this one. The Bruins captain had himself a spectacular game, right after winning the game for the Bruins on Saturday against Toronto. Marchand picked up a natural hat trick with three goals in the third period to carry the Bruins to a win.

His first goal came just 1:56 into the frame, assisted by Danton Heinen and Charlie Coyle. His second of the night came on the power play at the 5:37 mark of the second with a snipe from in between the face-off dots.

Number 63 sent the hats flying with his third goal of the night, coming at the 7:46 mark of the period. It was his 11th goal of the season and enough for the Bruins to fend off Columbus and seal the win.

It was the first natural hat trick of Marchand’s career. He also became the third-fastest Bruins player to score a natural hat trick, with Bobby Bauer in 7:30 and Leo Labine in 7:01 being the only two to do so faster than Marchand.

The Bruins get some time off before their next game, as they don’t play again until a Thursday night home game pits them against a division rival in the Buffalo Sabres.