Final Score: Penguins 1 – Blue Jackets 2
Game Summary
Boy was I wrong. I thought there was no way the Jackets would beat the Penguins, but they showed me. It was a complete team effort in winning 2-1.
Prior to the game some line juggling had to be done. Brandon Dubinsky was a late scratch with an upper body injury. That meant that Ryan Murray had to be put in the lineup.
Ryan Murray was supposed to be a healthy scratch but as the lone healthy body available he had to be added to the lineup. Columbus had to go with 11 forwards and 7 defencemen. Murray took his usual position playing big minutes on the back end, and picked up an assist on the eventual game winner. They used Dalton Prout up front on the fourth line with Campbell and Boll.
Prout did not play much, a team low 4:35 of ice time. When he did play I thought he was effective. He was physical, threw some hits and got in on the fore check. The fourth line even got a couple good chances. Prout actually led the team in Corsi with 85.71%, yes it was a very limited sample but still impressive.
The whole team did a good job keeping the big guns of Pittsburgh quiet. Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin were held pointless. Crosby in particular was effectively shut down as he had just a 41.94% Corsi and just one shot.
Scott Hartnell continued his hot play picking up another goal. He has six to go along with three assists in his last eight games. That goal gives him eight on the season and into a tie with Boone Jenner for tops on the team.
Brandon Saad was also very good. The local boy (Saad is from Pittsburgh) had a goal and assist. The goal was on the power play, his fifth power play goal of the season.
I was very excited to watch Pens rookie Daniel Sprong. Sprong was a second round pick this past June and is one of just four players from the 2015 draft to remain in the NHL (McDavid, Eichel, and Hanifin the others). I was very high on Sprong going into the draft, ranking him in the top 15. I was surprised to see him fall like he did but happy to see him having success in the NHL.
Following the game Kerby Rychel was recalled from Lake Erie. He's only up here as Dubi insurance. If Dubi can play Rychel will be in the press box, if not I'd expect to see Rychel in there.
Stat of the Night
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