Final Score: Blue Jackets 4 – Canucks 3
Game Summary
As one would expect for a third game of a western road trip this game started really slow. Both teams looked a little sluggish and it showed with the two teams combining for just nine first period shots. The second period was not much better. The Jackets controlled just 38.46% of the shot attempts at 5 on 5. The Jackets did however manage to score twice in the period thanks to the power play. The Jackets played well in the third period with a 57.14% Corsi but Sergei Bobrovsky struggled allowing three goals on seven shots. The Jackets managed to get the game to overtime where Seth Jones scored the OT winner to give the Jackets their ninth straight win and John Tortorella his 500th career NHL coaching win.
Cam Atkinson got things started with his sixth power play goal of the season. Atkinson was in his usual spot and was in the perfect position to pot home the rebound created by Zach Weresnki’s point shot.
knock knock
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 18, 2016
it's cam on the doorstep pic.twitter.com/RIdn7YOwO8
Atkinson picked up an assist in the game giving him his fourth multi-point game in his last six. He is currently riding a career high six game point streak in which he has four goals and six assists.
Brandon Saad also had a multi-point game scoring his 10th and 11th goals of the season. Both goals were scored from essentially the same spot, right out in front of the crease. Each goal came off of a ridiculous pass, first from Scott Hartnell,
what a pass from #CBJ dad scott hartnell pic.twitter.com/nP8R1h6u0N
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 18, 2016
and then from Alexander Wennberg.
headed to OT in Vancouver!#CBJ pic.twitter.com/AXdJNfsjVb
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 18, 2016
These plays started getting a lot of attention from people outside of Columbus. They noted how well the Jackets play from below the goal line. It is not something I had thought about before but once it got pointed out, you start to see it more. The Jackets have scored a lot of goals like that and it makes sense. They have a big team and like to get the puck down low and cycle it. They use their size to protect the puck below the goal line while a teammate gets to the front of the net. They have done a great job at getting open and finding the open guy.
With that being said there is ton of speed and skill on this team as the overtime winner showed. Atkinson takes the puck down the wing and has a two on one rush with Jones. Atkinson makes a quick move to deke the defencemen and feeds a perfect pass to Jones who one-touches it into the net.
*takes deep breath*
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 18, 2016
THIS TEAM IS ON FIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRREEEEEEEE pic.twitter.com/8oNRp50o3k
Stat of the Night
#CBJ head coach John Tortorella earns his 500th career regular season win, becoming the 24th coach in #NHL history to reach the milestone.
— CBJ Public Relations (@BlueJacketsPR) December 18, 2016
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.
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