Sometimes it takes a lot to break a four game losing streak.
The Blue Jackets would agree, after gutting out a 2-1 win tonight against the Red Wings to break out of their recent slump, because this one certainly wasn’t easy.
First Period
There’s nothing like starting the game with a bang, and that’s just what Columbus did, jumping on top of Jimmy Howard early until Artemi Panarin continued his recent burst of production, catching a cross crease pass from Oliver Bjorkstrand and hammering it home to open the scoring.
The Jackets had some good passing and some decent moments in the period, including Josh Anderson earning a penalty shot that Howard managed to turn aside, but the bulk of the period belonged to Detroit, who put every shot they could on Sergei Bobrovsky, who managed to turn it all away.
Second Period
The period was another slow, teeter-totter period that featured a good bit of players seeming to stand around and not a ton of action, the 1-0 score standing after 40 minutes.
Third Period
Despite having some decent looks at Howard in the third and some flashes of dangerous possession, the only score that mattered in the period went to the Red Wings, with Bob giving up a pair of big rebounds that ended with Andreas Athanasiou putting the puck into the back of the net.
Overtime
The Jackets had the better looks at the Red Wings for the bulk of the OT, but what everyone is going to talk about is Sergei Bobrovsky shutting down a 2 on 0 rush by the Red Wings, kicking out while lunging to take away the pass.
Why?
Because This. Shit. Is. Bananas.
Hey, @SergeiBobrovsky. You can’t be serious!? pic.twitter.com/u6Grgnr2cZ
— NHL (@NHL) November 12, 2017
If that isn’t save of the year I dearly want to see the one that is.
Columbus managed to draw a power play with just a few seconds left in OT, but couldn’t find the back of the net in their brief window of opportunity, which meant we were off to the worst best thing in hockey:
The Shootout
Frans Nielsen opened the scoring for Detroit in the shootout by beating Bob to the five hole, and though Cam Atkinson missed on his attempt to tie, Bobrovsky would get the stop on Athanasiou, giving Panarin the opportunity to tie things up at 1-1.
Gustav Nyquist would be denied, but Oliver Bjorkstrand failed to score, and the shootout went on.
And on.
And on.
And on.
The shootout was into the ninth round when Bobrovsky stopped Trevor Daley, and Jack Johnson went over the boards.
He went in slow. He pulled Howard out. He got Jimmy to bite.
Forehand.
Backhand.
Back of the net.
Final Score: Blue Jackets 2 – Red Wings 1 (SO)
Nobody will mistake this one for a pretty game, or even a well played one, but the Jackets got what they needed here – with luck, the win and a couple days to get things together will help them get back to work against Montreal on Tuesday.