The one thing more demoralizing than Ohio pro sports teams is losing to an Ohio pro sports team. The Flyers, after dropping their first visit to Nationwide Arena just five days ago, came in looking for revenge. Here’s how it went down.
Hockey Fights Cancer
First things first, this was the Blue Jackets’ Hockey Fights Cancer night. HFC is one of my favorite promotional nights of the year, and it goes towards a great cause. As someone personally effected by cancer, it means a lot two me. Two of my last great memories with my mother related to both cancer and hockey; going to the Carolina Hurricanes’ inaugural Whalers night game with my mother as she got treated outside of Raleigh, and seeing my mom’s reaction to game 4 of The Sweep. That was the last Jackets game we watched together. So thanks to the NHL and the Jackets for putting it on, and Adidas for designing some beautiful specialty jerseys. Going to have to pick one up this year.
Onto the recap!
First period
The teams opened the period pretty even, with both teams getting chances and having weird mixes of luck. Elvis Merzlikins was unable to play the puck twice in the first ten minutes, which isn’t ideal, while a defensive zone turnover courtesy of Jake Bean gave the Flyers a golden opportunity. On the other end, Cole Sillinger would have an impressive knockdown of the puck lead to a shot just wide, and Johnny Hockey would set up a beautiful feed to Boone Jenner that Hart was able to stop. Fittingly, it’d be a bit of an ugly goal that broke the ice, with Sean Kuraly corralling one in off Justin Braun
in true Kuraly fashion 💥 pic.twitter.com/MwEGzTjleZ
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) November 16, 2022
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Sean Kuraly from Gavrikov and Robinson – 12:36 1st Period
The Jackets built off the goal, controlling the rest of the period and getting some momentum rolling. The Flyers were able to keep it at one. I wonder what Torts’ thoughts on the period were…
Good ol Torts 😂
pic.twitter.com/HPZNYMnZ7k— CBJ Artillery (@CBJArtillery) November 16, 2022
Second Period
The Flyers would start the period a lot better, pressuring the Jackets into their own end and create some pressure. That pressure would lead to a power play, as Erik Gudbranson would check former Jacket Lukas Sedlak into Elvis with no puck in sight. Columbus killed the first 1:18 of the PK before Eric Robinson would draw a tripping penalty to negate the rest of it.
After the four-on-four, the Blue Jackets had easily their best power play of the season. Johnny Hockey would swing up the ice, before dumping it over to Boone Jenner as he crossed the blueline. Jenner would take a shot, the rebound went to Kent Johnson, which led to this glorious passing play for the 2-0 lead
ON THE POWER PLAY 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/NBUCbsyX39
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) November 16, 2022
BLUE JACKETS POWER PLAY GOAL – Captain Boone Jenner from Gaudreau and Johnson – 5:36 2nd Period
The period would even out a bit before disaster struck. First, Jake Bean would fall awkwardly into the boards after a failed hit and leave the game. Then, Kevin Hayes would get wide open in the high slot and laser it into the net.
FLYERS GOAL – Kevin Hayes from Konecny and Laughton – 8:54 2nd Period
The Jackets would have a great recovery shift, starring Johnson, Gaunce, Foudy, Christiansen, and Gudbranson, before putting on more pressure to the Flyers. I sure hope nothing terrible happens!
FLYERS GOAL – Noah Cates from MacEwan and Tippett – 12:16 2nd Period
As if that weren’t enough, Elvis Merzlikins was injured on the goal, not putting any pressure on his left leg as he left the ice. Joonas Korpisalo would enter the game, as the Flyers would start to really turn up the heat. They’d control the rest of the frame, aside from a great shift by the Nyquist-Sillinger-Chinakhov line in the last minute.
Third Period
After a bit and back and forth, the Jackets would explode offensively, with Boone Jenner getting his second of the night on a breakaway, followed by Eric Robinson from the net front 13 seconds later.
Boone with the breakaway 😁 pic.twitter.com/aySgjFaLso
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) November 16, 2022
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Boone Jenner (2) unassisted – 3:22 Third Period
A goal for our guy Robby 🤗 pic.twitter.com/8YvkG5Rj3Y
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) November 16, 2022
BLUE JACKETS GOAL – Eric Robinson from Olivier and Bjork – 3:35 Third Period
Shortly thereafter, with the Flyers pressuring, Andrew Peeke would get injured in the slot. While he’d return to the game, Philadelphia took advantage and returned to the scoreboard.
FLYERS GOAL – Nick Seeler from Frost and Farabee – 4:58 Third Period
Kuraly and Hayes would have some aggressive discussions, leading to a four on four. As the Flyers continued pushing, Gaunce would take a slashing penalty, and Philly would capitalize yet again.
FLYERS POWER PLAY GOAL – Travis Konecny from Cates and Hayes – 9:14 Third Period
The Flyers would continue to dominate the rest of the frame, having multiple minute-long shifts in the Jackets end, but Joonas Korpisalo stood tall. The Jackets would have a few chances, most notably Emil Bemstrom getting a beautiful feed from Gaudreau with under two to go, but the teams would need an extra frame to sort things out.
Overtime
Continuing off the Third Period, the Flyers would dominate OT, spending the first three minutes and ten seconds in the Jackets’ zone. The last four seconds are all that mattered though. With a 3-on-1 break, the puck went Chinakhov, Sillinger, Chinakhov, Gavrikov, net.
BLUE JACKETS OVERTIME GOAL – Vladislav Gavrikov from Chinakhov and Sillinger – 3:14 Overtime
Jackets win a blood bath (that they probably shouldn’t have) to extend their point streak to three games, and improve to 5-9-1 on the season. Next up is the Habs on Thursday.