Recap: Three Second Period Goals Push Jackets’ Streak to 10
Columbus became the third team in NHL history to log back-to-back seasons with a winning streak of at least 10 games.
The Columbus Blue Jackets garnered their tenth consecutive win in a dominant effort at Nationwide Arena on Thursday night, blanking the Florida Panthers 4-0.
The Blue Jackets struck with three goals in the second period. All three goals came in the opening six minutes of the middle frame, with Cam Atkinson putting the first goal on the board in the opening minute by one-timing a pass home from Artemi Panarin on a puck that didn’t look like had a ton of muster behind it, but it got past Roberto Luongo to give the Jackets a 1-0 lead.
Less than three minutes later, Sonny Milano put home a one-timer, this time thanks to a feed from Matt Calvert with Milano right on Luongo’s doorstep to give the Jackets a two-goal lead.
Seth Jones had the goal of the period, if not of this run or even the season, with a laser from the blueline on the power play to make it 3-0.
Thomas Vanek added an exclamation point with about two and a half minutes to go on an empty net goal, making it 4-0.
It was a very high-tempo game all night long, but it still very much felt like it was Columbus’ night all night. This recap feels very short and that’s because it is, but there really wasn’t a whole lot else that happened. It was a very straightforward game, and one where the scoreboard more or less tells the whole story.
Seregei Bobrovsy stood on his head all evening long as well, including a third period power play where I’m not quite sure he really knew where the puck was at all times, but he kept it from going in the net and made 32 saves in his fifth shutout of the season.
I have no clue where this Blue Jackets team came from, seemingly all of a sudden, but they are here and here to stay. This is an awesome run, and there are fewer better times to be playing your best hockey than with April right around the corner.