The good news: This is the last game of a four game roadtrip and brutal eight-of-nine away stretch for the Jackets, and they’re playing the bottom-dwelling Buffalo Sabres. The bad news: The four most interesting players in this game, Zach Werenski, Tage Thompson, Sean Monahan, and Kirill Marchenko, were all injured and not playing in this game. A true Sickos classic.
First Period
In their last game, Tage Thompson got absolutely leveled, and the Sabres had no response. This prompted a team meeting yesterday, and an opening faceoff fight between Mattieu Olivier and Dennis Gilbert. Olivier won easily.
After that, it was back to standard fare. The Jackets played well early, pushing into the Buffalo zone and breaking up opposing opportunities on defense. The Initials Line of JVR, LDBB, and KJ had a particularly nice shift, with Del Bel Belluz doing some great work along the boards to create a netfront scramble. However, it’d be Buffalo who scored first. Bowen Byram found a seem between Ivan Provorov and Mikael Pyyhtia on a zone entry, and was able to squeeze the puck through Elvis Merzlikins’ armpit off a rebound. He’ll want that one back.
SABRES GOAL – Bowen Byram from Jason Zucker and Alex Tuch – 10:07 1st Period
After that, the scene flipped: Buffalo was sustaining pressure, while Columbus struggled to do anything offensively. Despite Columbus leading in shots 12-6 at the end of the period, they were up 6-1 right before the Byram goal, and the Sabres had four of the last six in the frame.
Second Period
Shortly into the frame, Kent Johnson pulled off his best goal since his lacrosse move. Win a race to the puck, stop on a dime to do a spin move, and rip a backhand as he comes around top shelf. Absolutely disgusting.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Kent Johnson from Ivan Provorov and James van Riemsdyk – 1:47 2nd Period
Once again, the Blue Jackets were in control through the first half of the period, before Nick Cousins got nabbed for tripping. With both Werenski and Marchenko out, needless to say there wasn’t many opportunities. This seemed to fuel the Sabres, as they would restart the pressure and regain the lead right after. Alex Tuch tucked in a point shot from Dennis Gilbert, deflecting it from the high slot past the screen.
SABRES GOAL – Alex Tuch from Dennis Gilbert and Bowen Byram – 12:17 2nd Period
Barely 30 seconds later, Damon Severson got a penalty of his own, slashing Zach Benson. The Jackets had an odd-man rush shorthanded, and aside from a couple decent zone entries that turned into brief rushes, the Sabres weren’t able to generate much either. The Jackets pushed back for the first bit after the kill, but another tip-in from the point got past Elvis. Rasmus Dahlin ripped it and it once again got deflected in the high slot.
SABRES GOAL – Alex Tuch (2) from Rasmus Dahlin and Jason Zucker – 18:56 2nd Period
I’m starting to thing letting the opposing team freely wave their sticks around in high-traffic areas might be a bad idea. The last 1:04 closed with no further scoring.
Third Period
Whole lotta nothing to start the third. I was listening in the radio feed, and Bob McElliot rightfully pointed out how deadly quiet it was in the arena. No real energy either way. The Jackets had a couple waves of pressure, a couple shots, but no real opportunities. Once again, until the midway point, when the Sabres once again put a lock down, having a looooong stretch in the Jackets zone starting at the 10-minute mark. They were somehow only able to get one shot on goal.
As soon as that stretch ended and I wrote that paragraph, it was immediately outdated. Off the draw coming out of the commercial break, both Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov did their best Werenski impressions. Both streaked down low, attacking Buffalo directly, before the former found the later on a cross-ice pass. 3-2, and suddenly we have a sign of life.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Ivan Provorov from Damon Severson and Luca Del Bel Belluz – 12:38 3rd Period
After the goal, Columbus was able to actually sustain some pressure. They’d end the period with a 9-1 shots advantage, and would lead over the course of the game 30-21. At the 2:25 mark, they pulled Elvis for the extra attacker. However, the Sabres burned the clock, icing the puck three times in the last 1:06. Not the best effort, but Buffalo was able to hold on.
The CBJ make their return to Columbus, facing the Utah Mammouthlaw Club Thursday for Margaritaville night.