First Period
– Hoo boy, what a period. New Jersey held an 8-2 shot advantage after the opening 20 minutes and let’s leave it at that.
– Not the most inspiring first 10 minutes. An accidental goal light behind the NJD net extended a stoppage and that was the closest the Jackets got to offensive success.
– Cam Atkinson registered the CBJ’s first shot 9:38 into the game.
– Fedor Tyutin took the game’s first penalty when went to the box for holding with 7:19 to go in the frame. The Jackets killed the penalty with no shots, partly by laying down in the crease a few times. Whatever works.
– Rene Bourque got tagged for slashing Adam Henrique’s stick in two with 45 seconds left in the period. No score at intermission.
Second Period
– Another kill! No shots! How neat is that.
– Not good hockey on the television screen. Five shots total midway through the game, but more than that…overall sloppy play. Guys looked like they didn’t know where teammates were, passes sailed wide, shots proved harmless.
– David Savard knocked Jordin Tootoo on his can-can midway through the second period. There wasn’t a ton of action through the first half of the game, so Jackets faithful and teammates probably appreciated Savard laying some wood:
– Good break for the Jackets when Jon Merrill took New Jersey’s first penalty at 10:26 with a hook. No shots for the visitors.
— Great save by Sergei Bobrovsky on Damon Severson to help kill the power play (three shots). Severson collected the puck in the high slot, held for a beat and snapped off a shot, but Bob stood tall and denied the defenseman.
– Jack Johnson didn’t like Stephen Gionta taking hacks at Bob after the goalie covered the puck, so the two engage in a shoving match with five second left. Both go for slashing (Gionta) and roughing (JJ), so about 1:55 of 4-on-4 hockey to start the third period.
– Scoreless game through two periods.
Third Period
– Birthday boy Brandon Saad drew a tripping penalty for the Blue Jackets 2:39 into the third when John Moore (former Jacket!) poked his stick into No. 20’s skates on a particularly juicy zone entry.
– Nothing doing on the man advantage.
– After the PP, the Devils set up shop in the CBJ end for awhile. Longer than comfortable, that’s for sure. Lee Stempniak nearly found himself alone before the Jackets broke up the chance and a few minutes later, Bobrovsky swept away a puck inches from doom. Bobrovsky looked solid all night—not at all the Bob we’ve seen from the first handful of games—and these kinds of saves are the plays we’ve all come to know and love from him. That’s a great sign. Jackets call timeout.
– And just like that the game changes. Gregory Campbell and David Clarkson throw the puck around the zone and Boone Jenner cleans up Clarkson’s long shot rebound, giving the Jackets a 1-0 lead at 9:03. Jenner’s sixth goal of the year and one of those good-things-happen-when-you-go-to-the-net goals. 1-0 Jackets.
– Just 35 seconds later, Cam Atkinson struck for his second of the year, finishing right in front on a beautiful Brandon Dubinsky feed (and Scott Hartnell assist). 2-0 Jackets.
– Hartnell would find a goal of his own a little over five minutes later, leveling Gionta before ripping a slapshot by Cory Schneider. Who knows where this offensive explosion came from, but we’ll take it. When we imagined the perfect Jackets in our heads this summer, a goal like this one probably came to mind. 3-0 Jackets.
– New Jersey broke up the shutout on a Kyle Palmieri power play goal (Savard jailed for holding the stick) with 2:28 left in the game. You give a team enough power plays and that’ll happen. 3-1 Jackets.
Final Thoughts
– For the second straight game, the Columbus Blue Jackets won the game in the third period. Three straight goals for the visitors in less than six minutes after a disjointed, confused offensive performance through the first two periods. No better reason to be optimistic than seeing how this team has played in the final stanza after the last few games.
– Solid penalty killing throughout. Blocked shots, sticks in the lane, not letting opponents get space in front. And when they did…
– …Sergei Bobrovsky showed up tonight. Tortorella spoke to how Bob would need to rebuild his confidence and it looks like he has it back. One goal allowed (on the power play) on 24 shots. This team might be coming together, y’all.
– Two straight wins.
– Road/home back-to-back coming up, starting at Washington on Friday before hosting Winnipeg on Halloween Saturday.