The Boston Bruins have found a way to win games even when they're not in top form.

Left wing Milan Lucic scored the decisive tally with less than two minutes left in overtime for a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets last Thursday night.

"You know I was able to block a shot, a lucky bounce," Lucic said. "I was able to go out on a breakaway. You know this is my first overtime goal that I've ever scored and it ends up being a big game with the last game on this homestand, which wound up being a successful one."

While the game ended in favor of the Bruins, it didn't begin as well for the hosts.

With seven minutes, 12 seconds left in the first period, Columbus struck first. Boston left Blue Jackets center Mark Letestu unguarded behind the net, giving him plenty of time to pick a pass. Letestu then picked out left wing Blake Comeau, who was left with the simple task of slotting the puck past Boston backup goalkeeper Chad Johnson for a 1-0 lead.

The Bruins had a great chance, though, to tie things up a minute later. However, a shot from left wing Brad Marchand hit a crowd of bodies in front of the net and the score remained the same.

Boston then had a golden chance to put home the equalizer. A shot from right wing Reilly Smith created some havoc in front of the Columbus net. After goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovsky was forced to come out of position, the puck came free to the back post where defenseman Dennis Seidenberg had a look at the net. However, Seidenberg veered and put it just wide.

With 1:50 left in the period, though, Boston grabbed the equalizer. A slap-shot from defenseman Zdeno Chara was deflected into the goal by left wing Loui Eriksson to knot the game up at 1-1.

Center Ryan Johansen had the first shot of the second period, which was easy enough for Johnson to handle.

Boston then added to its lead with 9:51 to go in the second. Left wing Shawn Thornton took a slap shot from the right circle that found its way into the top of the net, giving Bobrovsky no chance.

Just when it seemed that the Bruins had assumed control of the momentum, Columbus knotted the game up at 2-2. Left wing Nick Foligno finished from close range into the net to even the game's momentum.

With 12:12 left in the game, defenseman Ryan Murray had a chance to put a pass from Foligno into an empty net at the back post. However, his stick missed the puck by a matter of inches and the chance went begging.

The Blue Jackets then began to dominate and the Bruins were on the ropes. Just 38 seconds later, right wing Cam Atkinson had an even better chance, hitting a close-range shot off the left post. Center Derek Mackenzie then thought he had scored with an effort from 10 feet out but Johnson made a miraculous save to keep the game tied. Defender Nikita Nikitin hit a shot from long range that Johnson would have been powerless to stop but fired just wide.

In overtime, Foligno looked to repeat his heroics, firing a snap-shot on net. However, Johnson made a smart save, grabbing the puck out of the air to keep the Bruins alive.

Defenseman Jack Johnson fired a long-range slap-shot that seemed ticketed for the back of the net, which was saved by the Bruins netminder.

A lucky bounce led to the winning goal. Nikitin sent a shot from the side, which took a massive deflection off of Johnson before caroming up the ice to a wide-open Lucic, who then took the puck down on Bobrovsky and fired it home to win the game 3-2 in overtime.

Boston could not sustain its momentum, suffering a 4-2 defeat to the Ottawa Senators on Friday night.

The Bruins will take to the road to squaree off against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden tonight at 7:30 p.m.