Final Score: Sharks 2 – Blue Jackets 5
Game Summary
That was fun. This is what I think everyone was expecting from this team. They played very well against a solid Sharks team, scoring at least four goals for the first time this season.
Every line except for the fourth line was rolling. The top line tonight was Brandon Dubinsky, Brandon Saad and Boone Jenner. They were very strong combining for two goals and two assists. Saad scored on the power play, his fourth power play goal of the season, setting a new career high. Boone scored as well, his team leading seventh of the year. Ryan Johansen was on the second line between Cam Atkinson and Matt Calvert. Joey had two assists and Calvert scored an empty net goal to seal the victory.
Fedor Tyutin was back in the lineup after being healthy scratched for the last two. He was on the second pair and played 19:39, including 2:26 on the penalty kill. While I think Tyutin is slowing down, he is still a top four defencemen on this team and one who should continue to see playing time over the likes of Dalton Prout.
I was very impressed with what I saw from Ryan Murray. He is very very good. I know I mention this a lot but it so nice to see a defencemen make the plays he does. He is composed with puck, a smooth skater who never panics. He made some really great rushes with the puck particularly in the offensive zone. His strong play was rewarded as he scored the fourth goal for the Jackets, part of a two point effort. It’s a treat to watch him play defence every night.
The one negative I will point to is the shots against. Giving up 43 is never good regardless of the outcome of the game. Score effects were a big part of this as the Blue Jackets, like every team, sat back once they got a two goal lead mid-way through the second. It didn’t matter too much what the Jackets did however as Bobrovsky was up for whatever the Sharks threw at him. Bob made 41 saves good for a .953 SV%. He also stopped all 12 medium danger chances he saw. I showed yesterday that these chances in particular were giving Bob the most trouble early on.
David Clarkson left the game in the third after losing an edge and falling awkwardly. He had to be helped to the dressing room and did not return. No further information is available at this time.
Finally there were two milestones reached tonight. First David Savard played in his 200th career game. He becomes just the 11th defencemen to reach the mark in franchise history. Second Johansen recorded his 100th and 101st career assists. He remains in 7th on the team’s all-time list, just four back of Nikolai Zherdev for sixth, and 10 back of Derick Brassard for fifth. Congratulations to both players.
Stat of the Night
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