After a two-week break for an exhilarating 4 Nations Face-Off, the Blue Jackets resume their playoff push with a battle with the Blackhawks. Kirill Marchenko, Dante Fabbro, and Captain Boone Jenner returned to the CBJ from injury, while AHL grinder made his Blue Jackets debut in his first game since before the solar eclipse… not last year’s, the one in August 2017. Sure!
First Period
The Blue Jackets got off to a hot start, mostly controlling play and buzzing in the offensive zone. After hitting the post early on, Zach Werenski would extend his home point streak to 22 games. The 4 Nations’ leading scorer pinched along the boards to keep the puck in the zone, letting Kent Johnson pick it up and rip it in.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Kent Johnson from Cole Sillinger and Zach Werenski – 4:10 1st Period
Shortly after, Chicago appeared to have tied the game on a netfront scramble, but it was waved off as Connor Bedard knocked into Elvis Merzlikins as he crashed the net. The Blackhawks declined to challenge, and it stayed 1-0.
During the first commercial break, the 5th Line sang happy birthday to Johnny Gaudreau Jr, as the family was in the arena celebrating.
After some more back and forth, including an… interesting expedition by Elvis to the top of the zone, Dante Fabbro would get nabbed for slashing as Connor Bedard was streaking through the middle towards the net. The Jackets would manage to kill the penalty. That was followed by a couple great shifts, first from the new second line with Boone, Sillinger, and KJ, then the top line and pair combining for a bunch of sustained pressure.
With 20 seconds left, LaBate and former captain Nick Foligno dropped the gloves after the former hit the latter. Foligno absolutely rocked LaBate, but took an extra roughing penalty, sending the Jackets to the powerplay to start the second.
Second Period
With a powerplay off the bat to start the second, the Jackets took advantage. Johnson got his second of the game, rotating in to the top of the circle and sniping it.
BLUE JACKETS POWERPLAY GOAL – Kent Johnson from Zach Werenski and Dmitri Voronkov – 1:12 2nd Period
However, barely two minutes after the 2-0 goal, Ivan Provorov would take high sticking penalty, sending Chicago to their second powerplay of the night. Columbus killed the first 96 seconds, before Craig Smith was able to deflect in a point shot from Alex Vlassic.
BLACKHAWKS POWERPLAY GOAL – Craig Smith from Alex Vlassic and Frank Nazar – 4:53 2nd Period
Throughout much of the rest of the period, the Blackhawks more or less had the Jackets on their heels. Most of the play was in the Blue Jackets zone, and Chicago kept Columbus from generating any real opportunities while creating a few of their own. Both teams seemed to be fighting the puck, with Columbus struggling to complete and catch passes cleanly, while the Hawks fanned on multiple shots from higher-danger areas.
Cole Sillinger would take another penalty seven minutes in, which the Jackets managed to kill off. Right after, Elvis made a diving pokecheck to breakup a half-breakaway for the Blackhawks. It was back to more of the same, with the Blackhawks pressuring, the Jackets getting it out of the zone but struggling to carry cleanly into Chicago’s. One exception to that rule was Denton Mateychuk, who found a seem skating up the middle before ripping his second NHL goal past Petr Mrazek from the high slot.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Denton Mateychuk unassisted – 12:42 3rd Period
The Blackhawks, for the most part, kept up the pressure through the end of the period, but were unable to solve Merzlikins. Pat Maroon had one stuffed on the doorstep that was particularly dangerous. After two, it was 3-1 Columbus despite a 21-13 shots deficit.
Third Period
Nick Foligno would briefly go to the locker room after the opening draw, but returned right after.
Unlike the first 40 minutes, the Jackets were all over the Blackhawks in this period. They consistently were pressuring Chicago with a relentless forecheck, and both the Fantilli, Sillinger, and Danforth lines having dominant shifts. Denton Mateychuk also had another chance off the rush. When Chicago did pressure, Elvis stood tall, with back-to-back sequences where he had to snuff dangerous netfront scrambles to keep jamming Hawks from scoring.
Late in the period, the team got rewarded. First, after Elvis’ saves, Zach Werenski grabbed the puck with no one in front of him, and made no mistake on the breakaway. The next shift, the top line combined for some great puck movement and an Adam Fantilli goal 56 seconds later.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Zach Werenski from Boone Jenner – 13:51 3rd Period
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Adam Fantilli from Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov – 14:44 3rd Period
Voronkov would take a penalty with 2:50 left, but the Jackets were able to kill it off to preserve the 5-1 win.
Final Thoughts
Zach Werenski, dude. He’s so good. Screw the Norris, this man deserves Hart votes. … Boone Jenner had a great game in his return. Way to quiet the haters (it’s me I’m the haters). … Elvis appeared to be in some difficulty after his late scramble/jam stops, so hopefully that’s nothing serious. … Kent Johnson and Denton Mateychuk also had great nights.
Back at it Tuesday against Dallas for Hockey is for Everyone night!