Final Score: Hurricanes 2 – Blue Jackets 1
Game Summary
This loss stung. Not because of who the Jackets were playing, but because of how they lost. Carolina is a sneaky good team, and they are desperate, trying to stay in the Wild Card chase. On that side it’s good to see the Jackets get a point in this game especially since they started their back-up goalie. On the other side however, Jonas Korpisalo played great, and shutout the Hurricanes for 55 minutes. The game tying goal was a lucky bounce off a skate, and the Hurricanes were able to win it in overtime. This was a game the Jackets easily should have won, but they were unable to add to their one goal lead.
Despite the loss there were some good things to take away from the game. Carolina outshot the Jackets 31-24 but that was mostly due to five power play shots. At 5 on 5 the teams were very close, the Jackets were slightly outplayed with a 48.35% Corsi. It wasn’t perfect but a much better game than we have seen recently. Also the depth players were very good. Lukas Sedlak was back with Scott Hartnell and Sam Gagner on the fourth line and they were great. Sedlak had the lowest Corsi of the trio and he was at 68.18%. On top of the good possession numbers this line helped set up the Jackets only goal.
Jack Johnson with his 4th of the season – a huge goal to put Columbus up 1-0. Hartnell and Gagner with the helpers. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/MtOtl2bNqz
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 31, 2017
Jack Johnson and David Savard were solid, but the pair that really stood out was the third pair of Kyle Quincey and Markus Nutivaara. Both players were moving the puck well and making an impact. The Jackets had 25 scoring chances at 5 on 5 and this pair was on the ice together for nine of them. Together they had a 52.17% Corsi and individually, they finished top two in Corsi wth Quincey at 56% and Nutivaara at 51.72%.
As for the not so good things, the stars were not shining. Cam Atkinson finished with the lowest Corsi on the team and had just a single shot. He has one goal in his last six games and in 15 games in March he has only eight points. He is the best pure scorer on the team and the Jackets need him to get to his scoring ways.
Stat of the Night
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.
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