Final Score: Blue Jackets 3 – Blackhawks 2
Game Summary
This was oh so close to another one of those games. The Jackets fell behind immediately after puck drop. David Kampf scored 1:28 into the game and got everyone thinking, here we go again. Another big game the Jackets didn’t show up for.
The Jackets to their credit did not crumble and were able to recover from the early deficit. The Jackets got on the board late in the first. Cam Atkinson tied the game on the power play, his first power play goal of the season.
The first power play goal of the year for Atkinson per @FOXSportsOH. Not a bad time for it to happen.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/RyGM5BxfjP
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 25, 2018
Alexander Wennnberg does a great job here on the screen. When the power play has worked this season the screen has been the reason why. The Jackets have good shooters, but no matter how good they are if the goalie can see it he’s going to stop it. The Jackets haven’t been consistent enough at getting shots on net with traffic in front.
The Hawks took a 2-1 lead mid-way through the second. The Blue Jackets once again were able to rebound and tie the game. This time is was former Hawks Artemi Panarin setting up Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Dubois makes no mistake on this Panarin pass. What a play in transition. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/jmNS7oMjxk
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 25, 2018
It’s seemingly every game now Panarin is making a play like this. When he has the puck everyone on the ice has to be so aware of him as he can beat you in so many ways. Here he has two Chicago players focused on him giving Dubois all the space he needs to score his 14th of the season. This was a nice rebound game for Dubois, a two point night (he assisted on Atkinson’s goal), and a 59.38% Corsi, tying for the team lead.
The Jackets took the lead, their first in the game on a really nice move by Josh Anderson.
Anderson puts Duncan Keith in a pretzel and the shot takes Forsberg by surprise. Fantastic individual effort.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/n0w7MQf3bd
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 25, 2018
This is soft goal for Anton Forsberg to allow but the Jackets will take it. Anderson makes some real good moves here on Duncan Keith of all defencemen. Forsberg is caught off guard by the shot and it squeaks in. That was Anderson’s 18th goal of the season and first point in his last five games.
Finally, the play of Sergei Bobrovsky in net was spectacular once again. He stopped 31 of 33 shots for a .939 save percentage. He didn’t steal this game but he kept the team in when they were behind and gave them the chance to comeback and tie the game both times.
Pinball Bob.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/1RNrjPY2Ah
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 25, 2018
This was the team’s last game before Monday’s trade deadline. They have a lot of things in the air right and who knows this might have been the last time we see Jack Johnson or Matt Calvert in a Blue Jackets uniform.
Stat of the Night
Seth Jones led the #CBJ in TOI (25:48), shot attempts (7), and shots on goal (5)
— Alison (@AlisonL) February 25, 2018
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.
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