Haula's Two-Goal Night Paces Bruins Over Columbus

BOSTON - Erik Haula has done his share of moving over the last few years.
Since spending the first four years of his NHL career with the Minnesota Wild, the veteran forward has played for five teams - Vegas, Carolina, Florida, Nashville, and Boston - over five seasons.
And while he tried to keep any thoughts of another potential move out of his mind ahead of last month's trade deadline, Haula admitted that once the 3 p.m. deadline on March 21 came and went, and he was still a member of the Black & Gold, there was a sigh of relief.
"I don't know if it gets to me, but I've moved a lot lately," said Haula. "Maybe there's a little thought in the back of the head, you know, of the past - try to work through that obviously. It is nice when you know this is our team. But that's ultimately out of my control and now I'll just put the foot on the gas and try to do something special here."

Over the past two weeks, Haula has certainly been full speed ahead as he's played the best hockey of his brief tenure in the Spoked-B. His torrid stretch continued on Saturday night as he potted two goals, including the winner with 3:54 remaining in the third period, to lift Boston to a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden. Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk, Charlie Coyle - the latter two into the empty net - had the other goals for Boston.
"It's always awesome when you can help the team win," said Haula. "I'm happy."
The 31-year-old's been happy quite a bit of late, having tallied four goals and 10 points in the six games since the trade deadline. For the season, Haula is up to 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 65 games, which is good for the second-highest point output of his nine-year career, behind only his 29-goal, 55-point campaign in 2017-18 with the Golden Knights.
"I'm having a lot of fun," said Haula. "I feel like the team is playing really well, and it's obviously helping a lot. I'm just enjoying the ride, and just trying to do my best to prepare for every game and trying to bring it."

While his last six games have been quite impressive, Haula has been bringing it ever since he teamed up with Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak on Jan. 1. In 40 games since the calendar turned to 2022, Haula has compiled 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists), which ranks fifth on the Bruins behind David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Taylor Hall, and Charlie McAvoy.
"I try to create room for them," Haula said of his linemates. "I try to get them the puck in areas where they can make plays. If it's coming with wide speed or whatever it is, I try to put them in spots where they can use that skill and use that speed. I think that's worked well for me and I'll try to do that, trying to create space.
"But then also being part of it as well. There's opportunities for me to put up points and score goals from all of that. I'm enjoying playing with them. It's a lot of fun. Obviously, two great players. Just trying to do my best and trying to do what really works."
Funny enough, Haula's winning goal came without Hall or Pastrnak on the ice. With just nine seconds remaining on the power play, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy sent out Haula with Craig Smith, Jake DeBrusk, Hampus Lindholm, and Brandon Carlo - who is averaging just four seconds of PP time this season - for an offensive zone draw.
Haula won the faceoff back to Lindholm, who delivered a feed across the blue line to Carlo. The blue liner then creeped down into the right-wing circle and let go a wrister that Haula tipped home from the top of the crease to put Boston up, 3-2, with 3:54 remaining. The assist marked Carlo's first career power-play point.
"I feel like now we have a pretty mature group," said Haula. "That's what we talked about in between the second and third. If we just stick with it, it's going to come. And ultimately, if we do the right things, we are going to end up on top. It is nice that it happened, and it's just a big win."

The Finland native's first goal of the night opened the scoring with 4:51 to play in the first. After Lindholm wheeled the net and found McAvoy (two assists) out front for a point-blank chance, the rebound trickled through the crease. Haula fought through traffic to locate the loose puck and wrist one by Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins for a 1-0 lead.
"Mindset was play off the shot, get to the net front," said Haula. "I feel like that was an area that we could maybe take advantage of them a little bit, and we wanted to put pucks on net. We definitely had some luck tonight getting right in the crease there, and then got a couple of goals right there. So, it was a good formula."

Foligno Feted

Before the game, Nick Foligno was honored for playing in his 1,000th NHL game on March 15 against the Blackhawks in Chicago. The veteran forward was joined by his wife, Janelle, children, Milana, Landon, and Hudson, and father, Mike - who played 1,018 games during his NHL career - for the festivities. And with the Blue Jackets - the club he captained for six of the nine seasons he was in Columbus - also in town for the occasion, the emotions of the evening were certainly flowing.
"It was special," said Foligno. "I've said it before, it's hard when things are about you because I'm just so team-oriented. I just wanted to win the game, but I did want to make sure I remembered this moment. It's a special one in a lot of ways. Not a lot of guys get to do it, I understand that, and I feel very fortunate and blessed to be around a lot of people who've helped me get here. I think I tried to use this as a way of thanking those people, had a lot of family and friends in town.
"A lot of times the limelight is shown on us, so it was nice to be able to shine it back on them. We had a nice family dinner with friends and some old teammates and some current teammates last night, so that was really special. But then the game against Columbus, a team that I obviously care a lot about, and an organization and city I care a lot about was really special."
In addition to a video presentation that included well wishes from some of his current and former teammates, Foligno was presented with a number of special gifts:
"With this group…I really care a lot about…they've welcomed me, they've welcomed my family," said Foligno. "I know my dad got his Rolex when he played…it's funny how he still wears it, and it's something I'll wear with pride knowing that the guys pitched in to get that for me. And the big thing is the Silver Stick, and that's something I held when my dad got his, when I was a young kid. It was really heavy for me at that age, and it was still pretty heavy out there tonight.
"You don't expect those things, I think it's just something my family and I will appreciate. It's a great way to remember this amazing night, and this amazing journey so far."

Perhaps the highlight of the presentation was Foligno's father, Mike - who was a thorn in the Bruins' side during his 10-year run with the Buffalo Sabres during the 1980s - ending the congratulations video by tossing on a Bruins jersey and his patented helmet with a Spoked-B logo on the front of it.
"I was dying, I couldn't believe he did it, to be honest with you," said Foligno. "I think he was nervous about his reception when he got on the ice, so he thought he'd try to win the fans over a little bit. Nut seeing him put the Bruins jersey on, with the 'B' on his helmet, was pretty special. It's always a good time when you see him put that helmet on. He's meant a lot to me in my career, in my life, and he's a guy I'm so proud to have as a father.
"He's taught so much to my family, and my brother and I, especially, in this game of hockey. It was really nice to be able to celebrate with him, and join the club, so to speak. It's pretty special, too, that we're the second father son duo [to play 1,000 NHL games]. I didn't know that until we hit that mark and somebody told me in the media, so pretty cool thing to be able to join the whole family."
While he has spent just one season and some 50 games in the Black & Gold, Foligno has already developed a special bond with the Bruins organization and the city of Boston, one that he hopes continues to build over the next few months.
"You're the new guy and they don't really know you well enough, but that's just Boston fans," said Foligno. "They're passionate and I'm really appreciative of that. I think we're starting to slowly see the brand of hockey that I can bring. It was unfortunate early on with the injuries and things like that, but I'm going to do everything I can to give this city and this team everything I have. To see them out there and celebrating it was really special. Hopefully there will be a lot more celebrations between us and them coming up."

A Special Shoutout

Before he answered any questions, Foligno started by offering a shoutout to Matt Grzelcyk's father, John. Grzelcyk announced on his Instagram account on Friday that his dad, a longtime member of the TD Garden Bull Gang, had finished radiation treatment.
"He just went through cancer, so I want to make sure he knows we're thinking of him and the Bruins family," said Foligno. "Really proud of him. It's not something he probably wants us to talk about, but I've become good friends with Matt, so I just wanted to make sure people knew that he's done and we're proud of him. Keep fighting, man, we love you - big part of the Bruins family."