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Game #5 Recap: Blue Jackets respond in Raleigh, down Hurricanes 3-2 behind Dubois’ game winner

Posted on by MrSwift13

The Columbus Blue Jackets traveled south following Friday night’s offensive no-show against the Anaheim Ducks to take on the league-leading Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes, 5-0-0 for the first time in franchise history, were seeking to continue their goal scoring ways, entering the night fourth in the league in goals per game at 4.20 per game.

Columbus head coach John Tortorella announced the team would have no lineup changes prior to the game. This meant that Joonas Korpisalo would get the start on both nights of the back to back.

In Hurricanes news, the team activated defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk.

In a bit of a quirk, the Carolina Hurricanes organized a whiteout for the game, which led to the Columbus Blue Jackets wearing their home blues on the road.

The Jackets changed the lines in warmups as well.

The Jackets were looking to avoid falling in a 1-4 hole with just over a week played in the season. How did they fare?

First Period

The game started sloppy as neither team was able to generate clean possession in the offensive zone early. Vladislav Gavrikov generated the first shot for either team with nearly two minutes gone in the period as James Reimer was able to blocker the puck into the corner. Lucas Wallmark forced the first save from Korpisalo in the third minute of the period, an awkward shot up high that Korpisalo was able to fight off. After a scramble at the side of the net, Korpisalo earned the first whistle by freezing the puck with 15:54 remaining.

The Carolina Hurricanes earned the first power play of the evening as Alexandre Texier wen to the box for hooking with 15:41 remaining. Texier hooked Haydn Fleury who went awkwardly into the boards and stayed down before skating to the bench and going down the tunnel to the locker room. Carolina’s power play, 5 for 17 on the season, took the ice. Columbus’ penalty kill, which had struggled to open the season, was able to stand tall when called on for the first time, allowing just one shot. As the teams headed to the first television timeout, Korpisalo was able to deny Sebastian Aho on a wraparound attempt.

Carolina came out of the timeout buzzing around the offensive zone but Columbus was able to keep them on the perimeter and never allowed a truly high danger chance on Korpisalo. With 9:43 remaining in the first period, Ryan Murray took the puck on the wing and found Markus Nutivaara wide open on the back post to bury the Blue Jackets’ first goal.

Columbus goal (1-0): Nutivaara from Murray and Wennberg, 10:17

Immediately after the Jackets scored, Carolina answered. Eric Haula was able to capitalize on a defensive miscommunication between Seth Jones and Zach Werenski that left Haula alone in front of the goal. He wasted no time burying a shot behind Korpisalo.

Carolina goal (1-1): Haula from Necas and Dzingel, 10:44

Terrible job by the Blue Jackets to allow Carolina to answer immediately. A miscommunication and a defensive zone scramble left Korpisalo with no chance.

After a save on a Jordan Staal shot in front, David Savard earned a power play for the Jackets as he was tripped by Andrei Svechnikov.

Cam Atkinson and Gustav Nyquist had chances early but were denied by Reimer. As Columbus looked to change, Carolina took control of the puck and wasted the last 45 seconds and maintained control of the puck away from the Jackets and killed the penalty. Carolina allowed no shots on goal. Reimer was able to deny Texier on a wraparound attempt with 5:42 remaining in the first. Alexandre Texier and Oliver Bjorkstrand led a long shift in the offensive zone prior to that as they continually cycled the puck looking for chances.

With 3:26 remaining, the Jackets went back to the power play as Jordan Staal went to the box for holding as he took down Pierre-Luc Dubois on the rush. With their second man advantage of the night, the Jackets looked to regain their lead. Oliver Bjorkstrand forced a glove save and a hold from Reimer with 2:51 remaining. With 2:23 remaining, Seth Jones took an interference penalty in the middle of the ice (on a terrible, terrible call) that nullified the last 58 seconds of the power play.

Nick Folingo got behind the defense while at four on four but was unable to catch up to the puck as Reimer dove and poked it out of danger. Columbus was able to kill the remaining 1:02 of the Carolina power play and see out the end of the first period.

The period ended with the team tied 1-1. Shots favored Columbus 12-10.

Second Period

The Jackets started the second period quickly with two shots on goal early. Nyquist found Cam Atkinson wide open off of a faceoff but Reimer did not bite on his deke and Atkinson was unable to capitalize as Haula did in the first period. On a rush up ice, Joonas Korpisalo lost his goal stick and was unable to recover and position himself and Dougie Hamilton whistled it past a flailing Korpisalo as Carolina took the lead.

Carolina goal (1-2): Hamilton from Foegele and Slavin, 2:51

As Carolina did in the first, Oliver Bjorkstrand was able to equalize quickly. After a faceoff win, Murray carried the puck into the offensive zone and Bjorkstrand collected below the goal line. After circling the net, he was able to collect the puck on his forehand and roof it past Reimer to equalize the game.

Columbus goal (2-2): Bjorkstrand, unassisted, 3:08

As the game opened up, both teams were trading chances up and down the ice in the teal minutes of the second period. Joonas Korpisalo was able to make the save on Foegele with 4:59 gone in the period as the Jackets were caught in transition. The Jackets defense was able to bail Korpisalo out with 13:00 remaining in the period as Korpisalo was down and Dzingel had a gaping net, but the former Jacket was unable to capitalize.

Atkinson and Nyquist were denied by Reimer at the 7:45 mark as the Jackets’ first line launched a heavy forecheck against the Hurricanes. On a two on two opportunity, Ryan Murray was able to deflect a Teovu Teravainen shot wide. The Hurricanes went back to the power play at the 10:10 mark as Boone Jenner took a tripping minor.

The Jackets killed the power play, allowing no shots. Of note, Jakob Lilja saw time on the penalty kill for the Jackets and looked like he belonged on the ice. The fourth line of Nash/Milano/Lilja played an outstanding shift and earned a power play for the Jackets with 5:29 remaining as Haydn Fleury went to the box for holding. Pierre-Luc Dubois hi the crossbar with 1:15 remaining on the power play as he walked in but was unable to bury it. Despite a great chance, the Jackets could not take the lead.

Ryan Murray missed the puck and gave up a 2 on 1 with 2:45 to go in the period but was saved by Zach Werenski who bailed him out and stopped the pass from Aho to Teravainen.

As the second period came to an end, Columbus and Carolina remained knotted at 2. Shots favored Columbus 25-21.

Third Period

As the Jackets started the third period on the front foot, Brock McGinn’s pass was picked off by Gustav Nyquist. Nyquist found a streaking Dubois who was able to fend off McGinn and bury his chance behind Reimer.

Columbus goal (3-2): Dubois from Nyquist, 1:15

Carolina pushed after the Columbus goal, seeking another equalizer, but the Jackets were equal to the task and able to hold their lead.

After withstanding a push by the Hurricanes, the Jackets began to exert their will on the Hurricanes. Sonny Milano had a great chance off of some excellent work by Lilja and Jenner but was unable to handle the puck and fired it off the side of the net at the 5:30 mark. A great play by Reimer to get in position at his far post kept the game at a one goal game.

After some end to end action with little opportunity, Bemstrom and Texier found themselves in a two on one but Texier’s shot missed the net with 11:45 remaining in the period. The teams continued to trade possession with few clean looks at the net. With 9:40 remaining, Oliver Bjorkstrand nearly beat the defense for a breakaway but a great defensive play was able to keep him at bay.

Korpisalo made his biggest save of the period with 7:20 remaining as a shot deflected out in front challenged the keeper but he was equal to it. The game settled into a mostly perimeter game as the game crossed five minutes remaining. This trend carried through as the Jackets looked to see the game out with their one goal lead.

Carolina pulled Reimer with 2:00 remaining to try to find an equalizer. After a scramble to Korpisalo’s left, an errant Carolina pass forced a clear of the zone. Columbus struggled to clear the zone and were unable to for nearly a minute until they iced it with 40.6 seconds remaining.

Columbus was able to see the game out and earn the 3-2 victory.

Final

Columbus Blue Jackets 3 Carolina Hurricanes 2

Final Thoughts

  • Being forced to wear the home blues on the road because of a dumb whiteout gimmick was tacky and I hated it. Never let that happen again please, NHL.
  • Stick taps to Oliver Bjorkstrand who hit 100 career points with his second period goal.
  • The forecheck was solid and helped generate chances.
  • The power play looked better (especially the third opportunity in the second period where Dubois hit the post), but it would be nice to consistently generate chances and shots.
  • Vladislav Gavrikov has been extremely impressive early this season and should be a mainstay in the top six. He is a quiet, defensively minded defenseman who does his job and shuts things down. Gavrikov has been outstanding thus far this season.
  • This was easily Gustav Nyquist’s best game as a Blue Jacket. He looked like he fit in on ever shift and was everywhere on the ice.
  • Pierre-Luc Dubois now has goals in two straight games. He was quick to credit his defense and the team for seeing out the win late./

The next game for Columbus is Wednesday at home against the Dallas Stars. Faceoff is at 7:00 EST. Stay tuned to The Cannon for continued coverage.

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