Happy Thanksgiving!
1st Period
To start the game, a Provorov point shot got deflected in front of the net and rang off the post. Doh!
Kuraly committed the first penalty of the night – high-sticking against Jake Evans. The Jackets were able to kill it off without issue.
Elvis made an incredible save when Suzuki was able to center the puck from the wall. A rebound found another Canadiens stick, and Elvis made a stretching kick save to keep the game at goose eggs.
The Blue Jackets’ best goalscorer, Olivier, added to his career numbers by deflecting a Werenski centering pass right in front of the net. That extends Z’s point streak to six games.
CBJ Goal 1-0: Olivier (Werenski, Aston-Reese) 9:08
Slafkovsky evened it up with an elite shot on the rush. Honestly, I’m still not sure how that one snuck through. Elvis also looked confused.
MTL Goal 1-1: Slafkovsky (unassisted) 13:00
With the seconds winding down in the period, Gallagher interfered with Danforth in front of the net and then cross-checked him after the whistle. The result would be a Columbus powerplay.
Montreal controlled most of the period, but the Jackets made a late push to even up the stats. The 5-on-5 xG ended up 0.79-0.72 Montreal.
2nd Period
The Jackets recorded zero shots on their power play to start the period.
Chinakhov has elite speed and acceleration, and you can tell he’s starting to figure out how to use them in the NHL. He scored the team’s second of the night when Fantilli sent him ahead on a breakaway. Chinny turned on the jets right before the Fantilli pass – perfect timing.
CBJ Goal 2-1: Chinakhov (Fantilli, Johnson) 4:27
Kuraly went to the box for the second timeāthis time for hooking. The Habs tied the game when the Jackets coughed up the puck in the offensive zone. Slafkovsky sent a nasty stretch pass off the wall and to Caufield, who buried the puck past Elvis.
MTL PP Goal 2-2: Caufield (Slafkovsky) 6:34
Goal-scoring Olivier and fighting Werenski. Yes, You read that correctly. Werenski dropped the gloves with Gallagher and won in a unanimous decision, clocking the Hab right in the chin and putting him down on his back. That was fun, but let’s never do that again, Z.
Josh Anderson tripped ZAR, giving the Jackets their second power play. Unfortunately, like the first, they weren’t able to do much. It didn’t help that Werenski was sitting in the box.
The game was still very even through 40 minutes, and not just on the scoreboard. It was anyone’s game heading into the third.
3rd Period
Montreal took the lead when Severson got burned on a perfectly defensible play. Heineman caught him flatfooted and turned on the jets. Severson wasn’t able to get a body on him before he had a position in front of the net.
MTL Goal 3-2: Heineman (Evans, Armia) 8:24
Fortunately, THE man tied the game when a simple centering pass deflected off a Canadiens skate and into the net.
That’s a Gordie Howe hat trick for Z!
CBJ Goal 3-3: Werenski (Severson, Voronkov) 12:22
Fantilli drew a hooking penalty while walking through two defenders in the offensive zone. Then, the boys did a great job of maintaining possession during the delayed penalty. Marchenko rang a shot off the post, but that was really the only decent chance.
With time ticking down in regulation, Aston-Reese got a tip on a puck that barely deflected off of Primeau’s glove. An inch higher, and the game would have been over.
It was on to OT for the third game in a row.
OT
Suzuki ended it when he tipped in a rebound.
MTL Goal 4-3: Suzuki (Hutson) 0:44
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Jackets had a decent game. Ultimately, not being able to score on one of three power play opportunities was the difference.
The Chinakhov-Fantilli-Johnson line was excellent. The forwards, in general, could have produced more offense. Of the team’s 22 5v5 shots, 6 came from defensemen.
The points streaks continue. Werenski’s extends to six games, KJ’s to seven, and the team’s to four.
Up Next
The Flames come to town for a 3:00 PM ET game on Friday.