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Coming off consecutive losses, the Blue Jackets had a tall order to get back on track in a game against a good San Jose team in the Shark Tank.
After falling behind 2-0 in the 1st period, the Jackets outscored San Jose 5-2 the rest of the way en route to a thrilling 5-4 win.
10 takeaways:
1. Quick take on Ryan Johansen's 3rd period goal that was waived off: I thought Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Joe Thornton boxed Nick Foligno into the paint, and that it was Thornton, not Foligno, who made contact with Antti Niemi prior to the goal. What is done is done and the Jackets went on to win, anyways, but that's a tough way to have your 1st career hat trick taken away.
2. Speaking of Johansen, he was stellar once again in San Jose. He scored a pair of goals, had five shots, was a 54% Corsi player and simply dominated throughout. Johansen looked like a man possessed on some of his net drives, and was a consistent threat all game long.
Johansen's stat line through six: five goals, nine points, 16 shots, 56.6CF%. And he's picked up at least a point in every game.
3. Johansen's most consistent linemate, Nick Foligno, is off to a pretty good start, too. He added a goal and an assist to give him three goals and nine points in six games. Like Johansen, he also has points in all six games. He's playing himself into a nice pay day.
4. Scott Hartnell didn't score, but he was incredible against the Sharks. He finished the game with four assists (all primary) and made some beautiful plays to create goals. His kick pass while being pushed in the crease on Foligno's game-tying-goal was just incredible. Hartnell's fitting like a glove in Columbus.
5. Sticking with Hartnell, as predicted, the early returns from the Hartnell-for-Umberger trade have been much better for the Jackets than the Flyers.
Hartnell has over double the points and shots in one less game, and has posted exceptional possession numbers while R.J. Umberger has served as an anchor to the Flyers.
The extra two years on Hartnell's contract is definitely worth it for a much better player.
6. Cody Goloubef made his season debut, and for the most part he was pretty good. He fared well in possession and wasn't running around in his own zone, but his turnover on Logan Couture's goal is simply a play you can't make. Luckily for him the Jackets they won the game, but he won't be in the lineup often if he continues making plays like that.
7. Sergei Bobrovsky only stopped 33-37 for a .892SV%, but he made some big saves throughout and did a good job keeping the Jackets in the game. It could have been much worse than 2-0 after San Jose outshot Columbus 16-5 in the 1st, but Bobrovsky did a good job bending and not breaking. He gave the Jackets a chance to get back in it, and they took advantage of it. That's what good teams do.
8. You could make a case Mark Letestu was the best player on the ice. He scored a beautiful short-handed goal on a perfect feed from Artem Anisimov, and also potted the game-winning-goal with 21 seconds to play. He was an absurd 86% Corsi player at even-strength, and was consistently a scoring threat on the penalty kill, as well. That was an incredible game for a guy who doesn't get enough credit for how good he is.
9. Quietly flying under-the-radar: The Jackets inability to get off to quick starts. They've now trailed 2-0 early in three of the last four games. They're doing a good job fighting back and getting out of these deficits, but they won't continue to have success if they keeping digging themselves a big hole to start games.
10. I think the 4th line would be a lot better if they recalled Brian Gibbons and put him on it. Also: Get Marko Dano back in the lineup.
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