Fresh off a loss in Calgary on Tuesday, the Jackets were angling for a win tonight – and they went ahead and pulled off a thriller. Let’s just get right into it.
1st Period
Off to a weird start – what else is new? The Jackets pull ahead first with a power play goal by Boone Jenner, the first Blue Jacket to hit 20 goals this season. He deserves it! Yegor Chinakhov quickly follows up (literally 13 seconds later) with a second goal, bringing the Jackets ahead by two goals a little more than seven minutes into the first period.
Those are the fastest two goals of the season for the Jackets, per @BlueJacketsPR sitting right next to me. #CBJ
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) February 18, 2022
It didn’t take the Blackhawks long to catch up – Philipp Kurashev buried one halfway through the first period, slicing the Jackets’ lead in half. Ryan Carpenter scored his first of the season shortly after, tying the score with a little more than five left in the first.
Hopefully everyone had time to catch their breath, because with just over three minutes left in the period, Max Domi pulled the Blue Jackets ahead with a goal, with Chinakhov on the assist for his second point of the game.
Busy, busy times! It felt like a whole game stuffed into one period. Of course, they were all just getting started.
2nd Period
According to a review and announcement by Wes McCauley, the Jackets were up 4-2 only 9 seconds into the period – a franchise record.
The clock has been reset so the goal actually came nine seconds into the period. That is the fastest goal to start a period for the #CBJ ever.
The goal goes to Patrik Laine, who was the one who originally threw it on net. Laine stays red hot.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) February 18, 2022
It looked like the Blackhawks scored late in the second period, but after review of a shot that knocked off both posts and managed to stay out of the net, it was ruled as no goal. Chicago quickly made up for it with a third goal with two minutes left in the second by MacKenzie Entwistle.
3rd Period
It took eight minutes for anything to happen in the final period, but once Laine scored his second goal of the game, the floodgates were open. The Jackets were only up 5-3 for one minute, however – Debrincat scored nine minutes in, bringing it again to a one-goal game.
The Blue Jackets quickly struck again, with Oliver Bjorkstrand scoring a much-needed goal to bring the score to 6-4.
There was one singular perfect person to close out the scoring circus tonight, and he delivered – Hatrik Laine. Patrik was able to snag an empty-netter for his ninth hat trick of his career and his first hat trick with the Blue Jackets. Pretty excellent timing for someone who is expecting a long-term contract! I’ve always been a Laine fan, and it’s safe to say he cemented his case as a great asset to this team in his last several games. He’s really starting to hit his groove with the Blue Jackets.
Anyways, couldn’t have asked for a more entertaining game. The Jackets are back at it on Sunday at home at 5:30 p.m. against the Buffalo Sabres.