Well, the big news today was that captain Nick Foligno went to the Injured Reserve, following the hit to his head last night from Brad Malone, who would not face supplemental discipline because he hit Foligno’s shoulder first. Okay, NHL. Kerby Rychel was recalled in his place, which I’m sure made his day. In other moves, Justin Falk would draw in for Cody Goloubef, and Joonas Korpisalo would get the start tonight. To the highlights!
FIRST PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
Your CBJ starters: Joonas Korpisalo, Scott Hartnell, Alexander Wennberg, Brandon Saad, Ryan Murray, Seth Jones
Word from Jeff Rimer was that Coach Tortorella was unhappy with Cody Goloubef’s play in Carolina on Friday, and that was the reason Justin Falk drew in for him.
FIGHT. Brad Malone was chased down by Jared Boll, who threw Malone down with several heavy right hands. Nice to see Boll go to the defense of the injured captain at 2:15.
Other than the fight, the first 4 minutes of the game were rather dull. Both teams saw extended shifts in each other’s zones, and neither team could muster more than one shot on goal.
CHANCE!! Boone Jenner had a chance denied by Cam Ward at 4:25.
Immediately going the other way, Elias Lindholm was denied by Korpisalo on a 2-on-1 (because the Jackets of course give one up), and Ryan Murray cleared the danger.
David Savard laid a huge hit on Joakim Nordstrom in the neutral zone.
Heading to the first timeout at the 7:00 mark, the teams had combined for 5 shots on net.
William Karlsson with a chance after dangling the puck for what seemed like forever, but Ward turn him aside at 8:15.
Carolina on the power play. Boone Jenner was hit for concealing the puck at 9:10, after putting his hand on the puck as he went to the ice. It was an offensive zone penalty, and a less than smart one at that.
At the midway mark of the period, the Blue Jackets had exactly one shot on goal. Not great.
Hurricanes goal. Andrej Nestrasil buried his 5th goal of the season on the power play at 10:09. Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin drew the assists.
Chance for Wennberg! After gathering the puck with his skate, he put the second shot on net for the Jackets, but it was turned aside by Ward.
Brandon Saad took a shot off of his foot at 14:40, and went immediately to the bench. The poor guy has been beaten up since he arrived here.
It cannot be overstated how poor Columbus looked through the first 15 minutes of this game- they were outshot 10-2, could not control the puck, could not make a simple clearance from the defensive zone, could not make smart passes/ transitions through the neutral zone. In other words, Blue Jackets hockey. Gotta see it live!
2 shots on goal- 17 minutes and counting.
Carolina was absolutely dominating the game- no other way to say it. It was almost as if the Blue Jackets were perpetually on a penalty kill, they had such little possession.
A THIRD SHOT ON GOAL! Rene Bourque saw his effort from the left circle turned aside at 17:38.
Cam Atkinson saw an effort turned aside, as Boone Jenner and Brandon Dubinsky were buzzing the net.
There was so little chemistry and energy from the Jackets in the first period- passes went to no one, Canes skated into the Jackets’ defensive zone unimpeded… it was a poor effort.
Columbus went into the break trailing 1-0, and being outshot 11-5. I would not have considered any of the Blue Jackets’ chances as “high quality.”
SECOND PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
CHANCE! At 0:20, Brandon Saad let a backhand shot fly, but Ward got just enough to turn it aside.
Hurricanes goal. Kris Vertsteeg beat Joonas Korpisalo at 1:28. It was a quick rush up the ice that left the Blue Jackets defense scrambling, and the puck ended up in the net. Assists to Justin Faulk and Eric Staal. Versteeg skated right around Dubinsky and Jack Johnson.
Jackets on the power play! Jaccob Slavin went off for tripping Rene Bourque at 2:23.
CHANCE! Saad walked in and had a glorious chance snared by Cam Ward.
Following the Saad attempt, the Blue Jackets could not maintain consistent zone presence, and the Hurricanes successfully killed the penalty, allowing only one shot. It was a terrible performance from the Blue Jackets with a man advantage.
Rychel had a nice shot saved at 5:08. Ward had to pinch it under his arm; it looked to be one of the more dangerous chances of the night.
Hurricanes goal. John-Michael Liles pinched in and tucked the puck home following a few saves from Korpisalo. His third goal of the season made it 3-0 at 7:32. Assists went to Jordan Staal and Joakim Nordstrom. Korpisalo has been completely hung out to dry by his defense tonight; not one Blue Jackets attempted to mark Liles.
10 shots on goal at the midway point of the game. Unacceptable.
SUSTAINED OFFENSIVE ZONE PRESSURE AT THE 12:00 MARK. SOUND THE ALARM.
Carolina power play. Ryan Murray went off for holding the stick at 14:14. I don’t even know what to say at this point.
Korpisalo made a nice save with the left pad on the power play at 14:45.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL! Almost as rare as a unicorn sighting. Cam Atkinson picked the puck from Justin Faulk, and deked Cam Ward before slotting it home shorthanded at 15:28. The goal was unassisted.
Carolina power play. Immediately after killing the penalty, Fedor Tyutin took a delay of game penalty. Stupid penalty to take at 16:41.
Fedor Tyutin had a breakaway out of the box, refused to shoot the puck, and the puck was thrown the other way to Kris Versteeg, who was denied by Korpisalo at 18:55. It should be noted that Seth Jones, a righty, made that pass with a left handed stick (Wennberg’s), after Jones’ stick had broken earlier in the play.
The Blue Jackets went back into the locker room trailing 3-1, and being outshot 20-15.
Columbus doubled their shots they put on goal from the first period to the number they did in the second. Positives!
THIRD PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
The Blue Jackets opened with a press to start the third, looking to get back in the game.
Jackets on the power play! Riley Nash went off for interference on Kerby Rychel at 2:13.
And, following a complete inability to set up in the offensive zone, the Jackets did not get a shot on goal during the power play.
Blue Jackets goal!! Alexander Wennberg buried a rebound after being hooked at 4:23. It was a hustle play in every sense of the word. Assists went to Brandon Saad and David Savard.
Clear pressure from the Blue Jackets in the third. I’m not sure what Tortorella said between periods, but I’m sure it peeled the paint. This was a different team than we’d seen in the first two periods.
CHANCE! Jenner had a shot denied at 9:40 from a sharp angle.
CHANCE!!! Saad carried the puck into traffic, but his shot was deflected into the net at 10:00 as Seth Jones was lurking for a rebound.
Columbus carried the play through the first 11 minutes of the third period. One could not help but wonder where this team was for 40 minutes.
JOSH ANDERSON TIES IT AT 3!! His first NHL goal gave the fans chili and put the Jackets in a tie game at 11:54. Assists to Kerby Rychel and Brandon Dubinsky. Slick pass back across the crease from Rychel to set the goal up.
Count me as stunned as anyone that the Jackets got back into this one. I’d written them off for dead. Credit to Josh Anderson, he’d worked hard and was handsomely rewarded.
Anderson and Wennberg have been EVERYWHERE in this period. It’s been fun to watch.
Carolina was clearly scrambling as we crossed the 13:00 mark. The Hurricanes looked as bad as the Jackets had through the first two periods. Perhaps fatigue finally caught up.
Wennberg with a defensive play at 13:59! He took the puck off of Brett Pesce’s stick to snuff out a chance for Carolina.
Carolina power play. Josh Anderson went off for hooking at 16:23. Not the type of penalty you want to see the team take late in the game.
Brandon Dubinsky made a massive clear at 17:45, following a huge effort to block shots and disrupt play on the kill.
The Jackets successfully killed the penalty, allowing two shots.
CHANCE!! Dubinsky had an open net at 19:15, but could not settle the bouncing puck.
After tying the game, the Blue Jackets went to overtime tied at 3.
BONUS HOCKEY HIGHLIGHTS
Your starters: Saad, Wennberg, Murray
SAVE AT 0:33. After a Saad turnover in the slot as he fell, Korpisalo denied Slavin point blank!
CHANCE!! Dubinsky’s effort bounced up and sat on top of the net, following a pass from Atkinson.
Hurricanes goal. After a 2 on 1 rush where Jordan Staal took the puck up the ice and faked a pass to Noah Hanifin, Staal ripped it stick side at 2:45. Ball game.
FINAL: Carolina Hurricanes 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 3
THREE STARS
*** John-Michael Liles
** Josh Anderson
* Jordan Staal
QUICK THOUGHTS
Get well soon, Captain Nick.
STAY. OUT. OF. THE. BOX.
Ryan Murray and Seth Jones seem to have some chemistry already, so that’s a positive. It’s kind of telling, though, when a 21 year old can walk right in to the locker room and become the best defender on the team.
Columbus is a bad hockey team. Nothing more to say than that. Between the comically bad 4th line, the poor performances of the blue line, the repeated trips to the box, and the complete inability to score goals, the team is a complete mess.
Carolina was playing their 9th game in 14 nights and absolutely controlled the game for far too long. It was a totally pathetic effort from the home team for the first 40 minutes of the game.
Cam Atkinson has been one of the Blue Jackets’ best players this season, especially since Tortorella came to town. His shorthanded goal was beautiful.
Alexander Wennberg was everywhere tonight. He deserves high praise for his effort.
#MatthewsWatch: Still last! Keep the tank rolling!
UP NEXT
The Blue Jackets take the ice again on Tuesday night when they travel to New York to take on the Islanders. Faceoff is at 7:00 EST.