Final Score: Penguins 5 – Blue Jackets 4

Game Summary

The series is not over but the task at hand just got much more difficult. This wasn’t officially a must win game, but it was pretty much a must win game, if the Jackets were going to get back into the series. They didn’t and Pittsburgh has a stranglehold on the series.
The Jackets jumped out to an early lead, scoring just 11 seconds into the game.

Cam Atkinson gets the party started only 11 seconds into the game and the Jackets are ahead 1-0 early.#CBJ #MarchOn pic.twitter.com/y5RIkzxUFI

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 16, 2017

The Jackets didn’t get the shot attempts they had in the previous two games, but they were able to score, putting up three goals in the first period. Cam Atkinson had the hot stick scoring the first two Jacket goals.

Here is Cam Atkinson's second goal of the game. #CBJ #MarchOn pic.twitter.com/6tUDrMfxvz

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 16, 2017

Zach Werenski made it 3-1, and it felt like the Jackets were going to run away with it.

Zach Werenski's first career playoff goal. Unbelievable shot.

3-1 Jackets.#CBJ #MarchOn pic.twitter.com/oSgdtLeYJs

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 16, 2017

It’s the playoff so that obviously wasn’t going to happen. The Jackets sat back and Pittsburgh just poured it on. Bryan Rust answered with two goals in the second and Jake Guentzel gave the Penguins a 4-3 lead mid-way through the third. This goal had plenty of Jacket fans upset as they felt the play should have been called dead, as the initial dump-in hit Werenski in the face, causing him to bleed and fall on the ice.

The problem though was that it was clear right away that Werenski was bleeding and the Penguins continued to control the puck. It was a really unfortunate play made worse by the fact the Pens scored. The play forced Werenski to leave the game to get stitched up. He returned to the game with a nasty bruise and a full face shield.

With the Penguins up 4-3 things felt bleak, but Brandon Dubinsky gave the Jackets life.

Brandon Dubinsky almost the goat, ties the game up and the Jackets have life. #CBJ #MarchOn pic.twitter.com/nbRI15w8mZ

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 17, 2017

The game made its way into OT and the Jackets had some chances but they were unable to get one past Marc-Andre Fleury. The concerning part about the OT period, was Zach Werenski was unable to play in the extra frame because he could not see out of his eye. If you want to see Werenski’s face, it’s on his Twitter. Without Werenski the Jackets were down to basically three defencemen since the third pair was hardly being used. Whether it was fatigue or not but Sidney Crosby just ate up David Savard on the game winning goal.

Guentzel’s hat trick goal wins it for Pittsburgh in OT, but please look at this work by Sidney Crosby pic.twitter.com/G1mUguDjii

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 17, 2017

Crosby down low is money, but Savard does pretty much nothing here to disrupt him and when Crosby has that much space he is going to find the open guy and he did just that.

Game four goes Tuesday night. It would be great to see Columbus at least win one game this series.

Stat of the Night

Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.

You can follow me on Twitter @PaulBerthelot

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