Final Score: Blue Jackets 3 – Leafs 2

Game Summary

For the first 55 minutes of this game, nothing was going the Blue Jackets way. On the second half of a back to back they looked tired and weren’t crisp. The Jackets entered the third period down two goals and the hope was score effects would play a small part and the Jackets would finally start showing some signs of life. Well the Jackets had other ideas and went over 10 minutes without a shot in the period.

It took a while but the Jackets finally found their legs the last five minutes of the third. Jordan Schroeder, who played very well in this game, was bumped up from the fourth line to play alongside Boone Jenner and Nick Foligno. Schroeder brings a ton of speed and that line made an impact right away.

Schroeder's first goal as a Blue Jacket.

2-1.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/hZqpau0M7x

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 9, 2018

Schroeder has put together a string of really strong games. Over the last five games he leads all Jackets players with a 57.53% Corsi. He’s been on the fourth line so this has come in limited minutes, but with the way the team had been playing they need a player to give them a spark and Schroeder did just that. The goal was originally credited to Schroeder, but was later changed to Foligno. Regardless that is Schroeder’s first point as a Blue Jacket, and it could not have come at a better time.

The Jacket now had life and just 1:48 later they tied the game, and it came from who else but the PB&J line.

Jones finds Dubois and PLD picks a spot firing it past Andersen. Not bad for a rookie, eh?#CBJ pic.twitter.com/MnyMR95SNI

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 9, 2018

As per usual this was one of the Jackets best lines. They had some extended time in the offensive zone, both Panarin and Anderson put up five shots. This line was rewarded for all their hard work, though it was Dubois getting the goal, on a great set up by Seth Jones.

Overtime was extremely fun, as you expect it would be with these two fast teams. The Leafs almost salvaged the game on a Tyler Bozak breakaway, but Sergei Bobrovsky shut the door.

The Blue Jackets overtime win all started with a great save from Sergei Bobrovsky on Tyler Bozak.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/ioPLBQtX3I

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 9, 2018

That was the last chance the Leafs got. The Jackets went down the ice and thanks to some fancy stick handling from Zach Werenski and Artemi Panarin they were able to win the game and pick up two points.

Werenski knocks down the Panarin pass and then somehow feeds it back to Panarin for the game-winner. That is a lot of skill on display. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/j8SL4epH7D

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 9, 2018

There was thought this might have been kicked in but upon review the puck bounced off Panarin’s skate to his stick and in. This was a big two points, and moves the Jackets up to second in the Metro, a point of ahead of New Jersey. The Jackets now have two days off before they play another back to back Thursday and Friday against Buffalo and Vancouver.

Stat of the Night

Per @EliasSports, last time #CBJ rallied from 2 goals down in final 5 minutes to win a game was March 22, 2016 vs Philly. Came back from 2 in last 1:04 & won in a shootout.

— Tom Reed (@treed1919) January 9, 2018

Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.

You can follow me on Twitter @PaulBerthelot

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