Final Score: Blue Jackets 7 – Penguins 1
Game Summary
What a statement! The Blue Jackets absolutely steamrolled the Penguins with a convincing 7-1 win. They have now won 11 games in a row and sit atop the NHL with a 22-5-4 record and 48 points. They not only beat the Penguins they outplayed them. Pittsburgh started off very well. They were getting all sorts of chances and the Jackets looked overwhelmed. Pittsburgh had 60% at 5 on 5 in the first period. From there though the Jackets stepped up and took over the game. They controlled 64.52% of the shot attempts in the second and 55.56% in the third. For the game the Blue Jackets had a 53.85% Corsi, controlling 61.11% of the scoring chances and 62.5% of the high danger chances.
The Jackets fell behind early, and didn’t look good. As they have done so often this season their power play was there to pick them up when they were struggling at 5 on 5. Cam Atkinson who was questionable to even play in this game, got things started with a power play goal. As we have seen so often this season Nick Foligno got the puck below the goal and placed a perfect cross crease pass to Atkinson.
now an eight game point streak for #13!#CBJ pic.twitter.com/nxTdCg0IHs
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 23, 2016
Atkinson extended his career high point streak to eight games with this goal. The power-play point gives him 16 on the season moving him ahead of Claude Giroux for the league lead.
The Jackets scored twice in the second period on goals by William Karlsson and Scott Hartnell. Karlsson’s goal came off a disgusting feed from Sam Gagner.
delayed cannon >>> no cannon pic.twitter.com/K6SbbOv61b
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 23, 2016
The Jackets were again wearing out that area down low. Hartnell’s goal was just pure speed. He chipped the puck out of his own zone and managed to out skate the Pittsburgh defencemen to collect it and make a great move in tight to beat Matt Murray.
scott H is fast. pic.twitter.com/1sIG0H5X79
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 23, 2016
Hartnell was feeling it tonight. The Jackets piled it on in the third scoring four goals. Hartnell had two of them to complete the hat-trick.
ALL of the hats for Hartsy! 🎩🎩🎩#CBJ pic.twitter.com/fDawqxxKC5
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 23, 2016
Hartnell had been playing well recently but had yet to find his goal scoring touch this season. That hat-trick really puts him back on track. They were his first goals of December; he scored his last goal November 29th vs. Tampa Bay. He now has eight goals and 20 points in 31 games this season.
The Jackets have no time to enjoy this victory as they are set to face the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow night, in their last game before Christmas.
Stat of the Night
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.
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