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Game #24 Recap: Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings

Posted on by MrSwift13

The Columbus Blue Jackets traveled north to take on the Detroit Red Wings, seeking to get back to their winning ways in Little Caesar’s Arena. The Blue Jackets had split the first two meetings with the Wings, each winning on the other’s home ice. As Columbus sought to win the season series with Detroit, Torts shuffled his defensive pairings.

One change Torts would not make – Oliver Bjorkstrand would not find his way back into the lineup. Despite sitting for Lukas Sedlak (who played just 6:13 on Saturday against the Penguins), Torts wasn’t interested in making a lineup change.

With the defensive pairings back to the preseason predictions, could the Blue Jackets and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky find a way to keep the puck out of the net? Detroit entered the game 28th in the NHL in goals per game and on a 2 for 23 streak in their last ten games on the power play. Meanwhile, for Columbus, a goal from Cam Atkinson would establish a new franchise record with goals scored in eight straight games.

Here’s what happened.

First Period

The Blue Jackets opened the game earning a power play as Boone Jenner was cross checked by Michael Rasmussen just 34 seconds into the game. Rasmussen was reacting to a big hit by Josh Anderson on Tyler Bertuzzi. On the power play, Justin Abdelkader had a solid look at a shorthanded goal that Sergei Bobrovsky was able to turn aside. Cam Atkinson negated the power play with 22 second remaining as he tripped Frans Nielsen at 2:13. Dylan Larkin helped to register a solid chance for Detroit, but Gustav Nyquist’s shot went wide. Larkin, incidentally, has five points in two games against Columbus. Columbus managed to kill the penalty, allowing one shot.

As the game settled down, the Jackets were able to take control of the puck but were unable, as in Pittsburgh, to generate any opportunities off of rebounds. A shot from David Savard hit Nick Foligno and led to a 3 on 2 rush for Detroit with 12:45 to go in the first, but Bobrovsky was equal to it. On an ensuing rush, Artemi Panarin was able to throw the puck off the end boards where Pierre-Luc Dubois won the race and was able to cut across the goal mouth and bury his 11th goal of the season.

Columbus goal (1-0): Dubois from Panarin and Atkinson, 7:34

Columbus dominated the early part of the period, registering five shots to Detroit’s one and heavily out-possessed the Wings, and Josh Anderson was rewarded for it with his 11th at 9:51. After Jenner caused a turnover, Anderson had space and time and buried it past Howard.

Columbus goal (2-0): Anderson from Jenner, 9:51

After a turnover forced by Abdelkader, Dylan Larkin was denied by Bobrovsky. Werenski was able to get in the way and attempt to poke check Larkin. After the second television timeout, a dump in took a strange bounce that led to a sequence where Martin Frk was denied by Bobrovsky. Scott Harrington hit the post at the 13:00 mark.

Riley Nash was unable to get his hands on a rebound at the 14:00 mark or he surely would have had his first Blue Jackets goal, the puck unfortunately bounced right over his stick. The Blue Jackets went to the power play again at the 15:03 mark as Trevor Daley went off for slashing. On the ensuing power play, a screen from Boone Jenner helped the Blue Jackets to a 3-0 lead as Artemi Panarin finally broke his twelve game goal scoring drought with his sixth of the year.

Columbus goal (3-0): Panarin from Werenski and Anderson, 16:04 (PPG)

As the period drew to a close, Detroit pressed hard to get on the board and saw a Larkin half-breakaway denied by Bobrovsky.

After 20 minutes, Columbus led 3-0 on the scoreboard and 16-10 in shots.

Second Period

The second period started with Detroit replacing Jimmy Howard with Jonathan Bernier. Bernier, making his 9th appearance on the season, had a 3-4-0 record to go along with a 3.54 GAA and .894 SV% on the season. As the second period started Sergei Bobrovsky left the net to play the puck but was involved in a tangle behind the net. As he got back in front of the net, a tip from Gustav Nyquist sailed perfectly over a crouched Bobrovsky and fell neatly into the net. A truly strange sequence as Detroit got on the board.

Detroit goal (1-3): Nyquist from DeKeyser and Mantha, 0:44

After some end to end action following the goal, neither team was able to truly generate a solid chance until Markus Nutivaara was able to restore the three goal lead. With traffic front of the net, Markus Nutivaara buried a one timer off a turn over forced by Lukas Sedlak.

Columbus goal (4-1): Nutivaara from Murray and Hannikainen, 5:02

Immediately following the goal, Josh Anderson nearly buried his second goal of the evening but was denied. Off a Ryan Murray forced turnover, a tic tac toe play led to Boone Jenner burying one (and earning the credit for it this time), his fifth of the season.

Columbus goal (5-1): Jenner from Murray and Foligno, 6:40

It was QUIET in Little Caesar’s Arena following the goal. A “Let’s go Red Wings” chant was played over the speakers and no clapping or cheering could be heard. After a bad turnover from David Savard as he tried to one-touch a pass up the wall, Mike Greene was able to bury a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky.

Detroit goal (2-5): Green, unassisted, 8:05

Off the next face-off, Markus Hannikainen nearly restored the four goal lead as Bernier turned the puck over but Hannikainen was unable to capitalize. The Blue Jackets earned their third power play of the game as Dylan Larkin hit Dubois with a high stick at 10:55. The power play was unable to capitalize on their third chance as the Wings killed it, allowing no shots. Sergei Bobrovsky made two saved in rapid succession to keep it a three goal lead, denying Larkin and Mantha. Larkin, unmarked on the far post, was lost during a defensive zone shift.

Panarin whiffed on a 3 on 1 rush for the Jackets or he would have had his second goal of the night. At the 17:10 mark, Cam Atkinson took his second penalty of the night as he interfered with Niklas Kronwall. Of course, the cure to what ails a power play is facing the Jackets’ penalty kill. Detroit, on a 2 for 24 streak, buried one on their 25th chance in their last 11 games to make it a two goal game after winning a scrum behind the net as Detroit took the lead in shots for the game.

Detroit goal (3-5): Cholowski from Nielsen and Venek, 17:43

After the goal, Dennis Cholowski took a penalty for holding Markus Hannikainen at 18:22. Columbus’ power play was unable to get anything going, and Detroit looked the more dangerous team as Columbus couldn’t establish any offensive zone time. The period ended with the Jackets up 5-3 and Detroit led on the shot counter 24-23.

Third Period

The Red Wings killed the final 22 seconds of the Cholowski penalty to open the period, and then made it a one goal hockey game. As the penalty expired, a simple zone clearance led to Larkin taking the puck up ice before dropping the puck to Anthony Mantha who buried it behind Bobrovsky.

Detroit goal (4-5): Mantha from Larkin and Nielsen, 0:39

At the 1:16 mark, Dylan Larkin drew a holding penalty on Boone Jenner and Detroit took full control of the game as they went to the power play with an opportunity to tie the game. The speed of Detroit was an issue that they could not adjust adequately to as zone entry after zone entry led to rushes for the Red Wings. Columbus was able to kill the Wings penalty and, on the ensuing rush, a Savard shot hit the post as Bernier was looking behind him. It was ruled a goal on the ice. The play was reviewed, however, and no goaltender interference occurred (somehow). Dubois scored after a scrum in front of the net and it counted as the puck bounced to him and no one impeded Jonathan Bernier.

Talk about a rough night for the officials trying to score this game.

Columbus goal (6-4): Dubois from Atkinson and Panarin, 7:34

On an Anthony Athanasiou rush, Ryan Murray was able to push him wide of the net before Athanasiou got a shot off. Bernier was able to cover a Zach Werenski shot with 11:02 to go. Some end to end action followed as the game inched into its final ten minutes and Dubois was denied his hat trick goal by a sliding Bernier with 6:29 to go.

With 5:34 to go, the Red Wings tried to catch Detroit on a line change but Sergei Bobrovsky was able to make a glove save and keep the two goal lead. Detroit put pressure on Columbus through the waning minutes, but Columbus was able to keep the puck out of the net. With 2:45 to go, Bernier left the net for an extra skater. With 2:12 to go, Mantha was able to draw Detroit within one as he beat Boone Jenner and picked a spot far post and his snap shot beat Sergei Bobrovsky as he scored his ninth of the season.

Detroit goal (5-6): Mantha from Daley, 17:48

Bernier left the net again with 1:45 to go as the Blue Jackets iced the puck. Seth Jones, off the ensuing face-off, was able to put one in the empty net and effectively ice the game.

Columbus goal (7-5): Jones from Dubois, 18:29

Final

Columbus Blue Jackets 7 Detroit Red Wings 5

Three Stars

Third: Boone Jenner
Second: Artemi Panarin
First: Pierre-Luc Dubois

Final Thoughts

  • Ryan Murray has tied last season’s point total with his efforts tonight
  • Zach Werenski is now just two points shy of the 100 point mark for his career
  • Cam Atkinson, while not breaking the franchise goal scoring streak, kept his point streak alive with an assist tonight
  • Artemi Panarin registered a goal and two assists on the night
  • Pierre-Luc Dubois registered two goals and one assist on the night
  • Sergei Bobrovsky allowed five goals, but made enough saves to win despite just an .844 SV%
  • The only CBJ skater not to play 10 minutes tonight was Markus Hannikainen, who played 9:58
  • After tonight: Pierre-Luc Dubois has registered 11-10-21 this season
  • Artemi Panarin sits at 6-20-26
  • Cam Atkinson has notched 15-10-25
  • Josh Anderson has 11-3-14
  • Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Ryan Murray, Boone Jenner, and Josh Anderson all registered multi-point games/

The Columbus Blue Jackets next take the ice on Thursday, November 29 as the team heads home to Nationwide Arena to face off with the Minnesota Wild. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST.

Go Jackets.

Talking Points