The gamut of emotions run strong, with this one. It was a putrid opening 15 minutes, with the Columbus Blue Jackets allowing three goals – one coming in the opening minute on the power play, one coming short handed and one coming via lazy defense and goaltending – leading to the yanking of newly crowned(?) starter Joonas Korpasalo for Sergei Bobrovsky, which ended up being one of the sparks the Blue Jackets needed to turn the game around.
To understand this game, just zero in on the third period.
Down 3-0 entering the third, things finally clicked for the Blue Jackets offensively, when Markus Nutivaara backhanded a pass to Josh Anderson who made up for a whiff on the puck to beat Jimmy Howard and pull the Jackets within 3-1.
There’s the spark! #CBJ pic.twitter.com/wFjJKuEs9S
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 31, 2018
Not too long after, Nutti found the net himself for his first goal of the season, putting home a backhanded feed to him with a wicked wrister to pull CBJ within one.
His first of the season!#CBJ pic.twitter.com/07OjjefCcX
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 31, 2018
Pierre-Luc Dubios appeared to be the momentary hero for Columbus, going coast-to-coast to beat Howard to tie the game at 3-3.
End-to-end, nbd.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/HEOGgBI3e5
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 31, 2018
But, it would be for not, when four blue sweaters around the cage wasn’t enough to clear the puck out of danger and Tyler Bertuzzi put home the eventual game winner.
Tyler Bertuzzi puts the the #RedWings up 4-3 late in the 3rd in tonight’s Play of the Game presented by @belkin! | #DETvsCBJ #LGRW pic.twitter.com/rcS1TqzFWa
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 31, 2018
The Blue Jackets weren’t devoid of chances, outshooting the Wings 37-32 and winning 49% of faceoffs (which has been an issue for the Blue Jackets in the early going of this season) and was awarded five power plays, but were unable to capitalize on any of them.
The bottom line is this, yall; the Blue Jackets have yet to consistently (if at all) put together 60 minutes of hockey, the goaltending and defense is shaky and while the offense can put goals on the scoreboard, it comes in spurts.
This isn’t a good hockey team right now. Things can change, but as of right now, they’re at best a middle of the road club.