Following the abysmal effort against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets continued their road trip, this time heading north of the border to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday evening. Keys to tonight’s game remained the same as always: stay out of the box, and start the game with energy, both issues the club has struggled with all season. In minor news, Kevin Connauton was picked up by the Arizona Coyotes after being waived yesterday by the Blue Jackets, and as such is no longer a member of the organization. Fedor Tyutin would be a healthy scratch tonight, and Cody Goloubef would draw back in on the blue line. Joonas Korpisalo got the start in net tonight opposite James Reimer. The Leafs hadn’t played since Saturday; the Jackets were on the second night of a back to back. Of course. To the highlights.
FIRST PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
Your CBJ starters: Joonas Korpisalo, Brandon Saad, Brandon Dubinsky, Boone Jenner, Ryan Murray, Seth Jones
The broadcast aired both national anthems tonight. Shame it wasn’t at home to get Leo some air time.
Columbus opened the first period looking to put pressure on Toronto, skating into the zone with authority.
Unfortunately, that did not translate into shots on goal. Toronto, by virtue of winning faceoffs in the Columbus zone, put 4 shots on Korpisalo in the first 2 minutes.
Leafs on the power play. Kerby Rychel, trying to get position in the zone, put his hand on Matt Hunwick’s shoulder, drawing a holding penalty at 3:10. Early penalty kill for the Jackets.
The Jackets successfully killed the penalty, allowing no real chances to Toronto.
Heading to the TV timeout with 6:45 gone, the Blue Jackets still did not have a shot on goal. Toronto had six.
William Karlsson’s effort from a sharp angle led to the first shot on goal for the club at 7:03.
Jackets on the power play! Matt Hunwick was called for interference on Brandon Saad at 8:07.
CHANCE! Reimer was down and out of position following a David Savard shot from the point, but Brandon Saad could not redirect the rebound home at 9:25. The net was gaping wide open.
Toronto successfully killed the penalty.
CHANCE! Following a turnover, Reimer made a sprawling save on an Atkinson shot that saw Hartnell looking for a redirection at 11:32.
Leafs on the power play. Scott Hartnell hit Dion Phaneuf and went off for a high stick at 11:40.
Save! Josh Leivo was screening Korpisalo, but the young netminder saw the puck and kicked it aside. There was a momentary delay following the play, and Jack Johnson knocked Leivo into the net, and the mooring had to be fixed.
SAVE from Korpisalo! He denied a Nazem Kadri rebound.
The Jackets successfully killed the penalty, their second kill of the period.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL! Boone Jenner redirected a Seth Jones shot from the point home! The goal was scored at 15:08, and was Jenner’s 15th of the season. The assists were to Seth Jones and Kerby Rychel. The assist was the first point of Seth Jones’ career here, and may it be the first of many.
CHANCE! Boone Jenner had a breakaway at 18:00 following a Dion Phaneuf turnover, but his effort went just wide. Kerby Rychel followed up, but could not put the effort home.
Leafs on the power play. Scott Hartnell took a tripping penalty at 19:23.
At the end of the first period, Columbus led 1-0, despite being outshot 10-7 and taking 3 minor penalties in the period.
SECOND PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
The Blue Jackets opened the second period with 1:23 of time on the penalty kill, which they successfully killed. Great work done by Gregory Campbell in particular with a man down.
Boone Jenner with a chance at 2:30, but Reimer makes a glove save as Jenner was looking for the rebound.
Seth Jones was playing with Justin Falk to start the second. Odd.
CHANCE! Cam Atkinson stole the puck, but ripped a shot just wide of the net at 4:15.
SAVE! Korpisalo had a kick save to deny Dion Phaneuf at 5:00.
Jones had an excellent double shift, including leading a rush up the ice at 5:30.
Of note: David Savard had not appeared for the second period as of 6:30, which explained the jumbled defensive pairings.
Columbus had an extended shift in the defensive zone at 7:45, but were able to clear the danger.
SAVE. Korpisalo was able to block a Joffrey Lupul shot at 8:30.
Columbus called their timeout at 9:09, with Coach Tortorella looking to settle his team down and resist the push the Maple Leafs had made. Toronto had strong shifts from the Tyler Bozak line and the Byron Froese lines.
Nervy moments at 11:00. The Blue Jackets were on their heels, as Lupul and Peter Holland had good chances for Toronto.
End to end action as the Blue Jackets went to a TV timeout at 14:33. As they did, Brandon Dubinsky was on the bench receiving attention on his left hand.
The Blue Jackets lines were a mess at this point. The only consistent line I saw through the latter half of the period was Boone Jenner playing with Kerby Rychel and Josh Anderson.
David Savard, it was announced at 14:47, would not return with an upper body injury. The Blue Jackets would finish the game with 5 defensemen.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL!!! Following a nice offensive zone shift where Scott Hartnell negated an icing penalty, Alexander Wennberg was able to screen Reimer and bury the rebound from Justin Falk. It was his 5th goal, coming at 16:17. Assists to Justin Falk and Scott Hartnell.
Toronto responded with immense pressure to close the period, putting several pucks toward Korpisalo, but all were turned aside.
Columbus went into the break leading 2-0, despite being outshot by Toronto 25-17.
THIRD PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
Pressure from Toronto to start the third, but Joonas Korpisalo was able to keep the margin at 2.
Korpisalo had been poised in the net all night. Credit where credit is due, Korpisalo had played quite well to this point.
Chance for Toronto at 3:30 as Morgan Rielly threw a puck in front of the net, but Brandon Dubinsky cleared the danger.
Chance for Toronto at 4:20, but Korpisalo shut the door.
Morgan Rielly was denied by the leg of Korpisalo at 7:15.
Toronto had all of the energy through the midway mark of the third period. They were pressing extremely hard to get on the board, and it was thanks to the fine work of Joonas Korpisalo that the Jackets maintained a 2 goal advantage.
Korpisalo made another nice save at 8:39 to deny Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau. Toronto had 7 shots on goal at this point in the 3rd period, Columbus had one.
Following a turnover by Cody Goloubef, Leo Komarov’s shot was cleared after Komarov broke his stick at 10:45.
Columbus had spent most of the third period in their defensive zone, leading to only 4 shots through 13 minutes for the Blue Jackets.
After a scrum in front of the net, Korpisalo lost his goal stick at 14:15, and Jack Johnson knocked Leo Komarov to the ground.
A long shot from the point from Jake Gardiner was deflected just wide at 15:00.
Glove save from Korpisalo on Tyler Bozak at 15:40.
Save from Korpisalo on a bouncing puck at 16:05. It was excellent work from Jack Johnson and Seth Jones to keep the crease clear to that Korpisalo had a clean look at the puck.
Maple Leafs goal. Brad Boyes buried one at 17:33 on a rebound. Joonas Korpisalo claimed he was interfered with, but the Blue Jackets could not challenge it as they had used their timeout already. Assists to Leo Komarov and Morgan Rielly. That goal had been coming for a long time.
Shots on goal at the time Toronto scored were 42-21.
Toronto pulled Reimer at 18:34.
Jackets on the power play. Cam Atkinson drew a hooking penalty with Toronto’s net empty at 18:56. Dion Phaneuf went to the box.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL. Brandon Dubinsky emphatically threw it into the net after a Boone Jenner feed at 19:58. The lone assist went to Boone Jenner.
FINAL: Columbus Blue Jackets 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 1
THREE STARS
*** Seth Jones
** Boone Jenner
* Joonas Korpisalo
QUICK THOUGHTS
Prior to tonight, Columbus had given up 3 or more goals in 9 straight games. It was nice to see the team break that streak.
Happy to see Seth Jones get on the board tonight with an assist. It was his first point as a Blue Jacket. He also played 24:52. Excellent all around game from Jones.
Of course a defenseman gets hurt after the Blue Jackets waive two of them in 10 days. Get well soon, David Savard.
Turtling in the 3rd period and playing in a defensive shell was a poor strategy. It may have worked, but the entire period was played in front of Korpisalo. But for some outstanding saves from the young netminder, this game could have gone a different direction. That strategy must change going forward.
A win is a win is a win at this point, however ugly it looks.
Special shoutout to Joonas Korpisalo. In the face of unrelenting pressure from the Maple Leafs, he stood tall and delivered the win for his team tonight. It was an incredibly poised performance from the young netminder. He made 41 saves for his second win of the season.
#MatthewsWatch: Columbus remained last in the standings, 2 points “ahead” of the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres.
UP NEXT
Columbus returns home to take on the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night in the friendly confines of Nationwide Arena. Faceoff is at 7:00 EST.