What a week. After a blockbuster trade that saw Ryan Johansen shipped out of Columbus for Seth Jones, it was time for the Blue Jackets to take the ice again. Seth Jones got the start in his debut for the team, and Anton Forsberg would man the net against the Carolina Hurricanes. Columbus played this night in Raleigh, before heading back to play these same Hurricanes on Saturday night in a home and home series. To the highlights!
FIRST PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
Your CBJ starters: Seth Jones, Ryan Murray, Boone Jenner, Brandon Dubinsky, Cam Atkinson, and Anton Forsberg
Columbus with several chances 90 seconds in. Alexander Wennberg and Brandon Saad led an excellent offensive zone shift.
Columbus carried the play for the first 4 minutes. Extended shifts in the offensive zone, and did not allow a shot until nearly 5 minutes into the game.
Offside call at 5:54 after potentially the worst zone entry of the season, as Gregory Campbell struggled with making a decision on how to cross the blue line.
Chance for Carolina at 8:00. A 3 on 2 effort trickled just wide after Scott Hartnell made the defensive play.
Almost a chance for the 4th line at 9:00, but no one could get a stick on it. Jared Boll had a chance, but could not get his stick on a bouncing puck.
SAVE! After a chance for Carolina following a deflected pass to Eric Staal, who whacked at the puck several times before the whistle blew, Forsberg was able to cover at 10:54. Scott Hartnell took exception to Kris Versteeg following the shift, knocking him to the ice.
Carolina took control of the game through the middle of the period. They were the aggressors, getting several high quality chances at the net that Forsberg was able to fend off.
A very slow start to the game. Most of the game had been spent along the board as and in the neutral zone. Through 14 minutes, both teams had combined for ten shots on goal.
Hurricanes power play. Jack Johnson went off for slashing at 14:11.
Hurricanes goal. After a power play spent mostly in the Blue Jackets zone (a poor kill to that point), Jordan Staal cashed in at 16:09. Assists went to Kris Versteeg and Jaccob Slavin.
Hurricanes power play. Scott Hartnell decided he wanted in on the fun in the penalty box, and took a high sticking penalty at 18:46.
The period ended with Columbus trailing 1-0, and being outshot 10-6.
This was a fairly boring period of hockey, featuring 1 shot on goal from the Blue Jackets in the final 16 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
The Blue Jackets successfully killed the penalty. Progress!
End to end play continued early in the period, as did the theme of not getting shots to the net for either team.
CHANCE!! William Karlsson found Cody Goloubef in front of the net at 2:30, but Cam Ward made the save.
Power play for the Hurricanes. Nick Foligno went off for hooking Jeff Skinner at 2:51.
The Blue Jackets killed the penalty, not really allowing a dangerous chance to Carolina.
Brandon Saad took an awkward fall at 6:40. He went immediately to the bench, where he appeared to be in pain.
Jackets on the power play! Cam Atkinson drew a tripping penalty on Andrej Nestrasil at 7:50.
5 on 3! Ryan Murray drew a holding call on Jay McClement at 8:00.
Seth Jones saw a power play shift! There were several chances, all turned away by Ward.
An editorial: the air horn during play that is supposed to get the meager Carolina crowd cheering needs to go away.
BLUE JACKETS GOAL! A 5 on 3 goal from Brandon Dubinsky at 9:51. He attempted to pass the puck to Brandon Saad, but it was deflected into the net by John-Michael Liles. Assists went to Nick Foligno and Jack Johnson.
SAVE! As the teams returned to full strength, Forsberg denied the Hurricanes on yet another odd man rush (at least the 3rd the team had given up tonight).
Jackets on the power play! Chris Terry went off for slashing at 11:28.
5 on 3 again! Justin Faulk went off for tripping at 12:03, giving the Jackets 1:25 of a 2 man advantage.
Unlike last time, the Blue Jackets could not find a goal with a two man advantage.
CHANCE! David Savard beat Cam Ward, but it rang off the inside of the goalpost.
Carolina killed the penalties, despite allowing several chances.
Hurricanes goal. At 14:35, Noah Hanifin let a shot go from the left point, and it was redirected in front of the net by Elias Lindholm. Hanifin and Kris Versteeg got the assists.
Of note: that was Columbus’ first goal with a two man advantage this season, out of 7 tries.
The period ended with little fanfare. Columbus trailed 2-1, despite outshooting Carolina 20-19 to this point in the game.
Brandon Dubinsky at intermission- “We’re not playing hard enough.”
Per Aaron Portzline, Columbus won just 13 of 38 faceoffs through 2 periods.
THIRD PERIOD HIGHLIGHTS
Chance for Carolina at 0:55. A backhand from behind the net found Kris Versteeg, who turned the shot away.
Josh Anderson saw a shot saved at 2:40.
Versteeg, who has been everywhere tonight, threw a bouncing puck in front of the net at 4:25, but no one was there for Carolina to take advantage.
Nick Foligno was buried at 5:09 in open ice, and remained down on the ice for a good bit of time. He was clipped high by Brad Malone in a blindside hit to the side of Foligno’s head. After several minutes on the ice, Foligno skated to the dressing room under his own power. It appeared the shoulder pads of Malone hit Foligno on the chin.
The Torts Line Blender™ went to work, as Alexander Wennberg played a shift on the wing with Brandon Dubinsky and Brandon Saad.
CHANCE! Atkinson saw a rebound on a Boone Jenner shot saved by Ward.
The goal went to review, but there was no conclusive evidence to overturn the call. As the puck was impossible to see (thought it may have been in the net), the War Room could not overturn the call on the ice. The War Room also ruled that Ward was pushed into the net (an… iffy call, to say the least).
Sidenote: it took Ryan Johansen 2 minutes and change to score in his debut for the Nashville Predators.
Carolina goal. Following a 2-on-1 rush (again), Seth Jones laid out to stop the pass, but Jeff Skinner delayed, took the shot, and Chris Terry buried the rebound at 9:22. Assists to Skinner and Jaccob Slavin
FIGHT! Brandon Dubinsky and John Malone fought off of the ensuing faceoff at 9:24. Good to see Dubinsky coming to the defense of the captain.
Carolina power play. Cody Goloubef went off for tripping Kris Verteeg at 10:19.
There were a plethora of chances for Carolina on the power play, though Columbus managed to keep all of them out of the net, and killed the penalty.
Some end to end action following the power play for Carolina, but no real chances developed for either team.
ALERT. The Blue Jackets successfully defended after a neutral zone turnover at 15:30.
Chance for Columbus!! Saad and Jenner looked to make a nice little play, but Ward stoned Jenner.
The Blue Jackets pulled Anton Forsberg at 17:22.
Post! Scott Hartnell redirected a Ryan Murray shot, but it went off the iron at 17:45.
Carolina goal. The Hurricanes iced the game at 18:59 on an empty netter from Elias Lindholm. Assists to Eric Staal and Justin Faulk.
Jackets on the power play. Riley Nash went to the box for hooking at 19:42.
FINAL: Carolina Hurricanes 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
THREE STARS
*** Elias Lindholm
** Brandon Dubinsky
* Jordan Staal
QUICK THOUGHTS
Best wishes for Nick Foligno. Hopefully it’s nothing serious.
It was apparent early that Johansen would be missed in one key area- faceoffs. The Blue Jackets lost an immense number on this night.
STAY. OUT. OF. THE. BOX. Especially you, Scott Hartnell.
The Blue Jackets give up far too many odd man rushes, and is an issue that Tortorella has to get corrected.
I hate these games for the young goaltenders- I don’t want to see their confidence absolutely destroyed going forward by losing game after game in the NHL so early into their careers.
This was a terrible game from a passing game perspective for the Blue Jackets. The team was just incapable of completing passes to teammates. It was a performance the St. Louis Rams would have been proud of.
Seth Jones played alright tonight. He had a few moments, and a few mistakes. He is clearly still learning and will not be an immediate savior, but he will continue to get bigger, more physical, and improve. He has solid vision on the ice, though. That much was clearly evident.
UP NEXT
Columbus returns home to take on these same Hurricanes on Saturday night. Faceoff is at 7:00 EST.