Final Score: Canadiens 2 – Blue Jackets 5
Game Summary
Is there a team that needs the All-Star break more than the Montreal Canadiens? They have been in an absolute freefall and it continued tonight as the Jackets defeated them 5-2.
Many Blue Jackets players had big nights and we will start with Cam Atkinson who recorded his third career hat trick. He only needed one goal though to make a girls day and get her a puppy.
this was bound to happen. pic.twitter.com/8phWFUKNdy
— Stephanie (@myregularface) January 26, 2016This first started over the weekend, when a family in Ottawa brought a sign saying they would get a puppy if Bobby Ryan scored. Ryan of course scored, and the family will be getting a puppy. Puppy signs are now two for two; we will probably be seeing a lot more of them in the future.
As for Cam, this game was much needed. Not just for the team but for himself. He had been in the midst of a mini slump having recorded just one point over his last six games, with no goals. The hat trick gives him 16 goals on the season. He looks primed for his third consecutive 20 goal season.
Brandon Saad had a good game as well scoring two goals. It was a rather quiet two goal game with all of the attention on Atkinson and the puppy. For Saad those were his team leading 17th and 18th goals of the season. He's on pace for 29 goals and 55 points. He has been as advertised in his first season in the Union Blue.
Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner were the ones setting up all of these goals. Each had three assists. The most impressive of the bunch might have been on the on the hat trick goal. Both Dubinsky and Jenner could have shot it but clearly wanted to get it to Cam to give him a shot at the trick.
someone's getting a puppy hat trick pic.twitter.com/MhGPtiT6ZP
— Stephanie (@myregularface) January 26, 2016For Boone he has now tied his career high in points with 29 which he got in his rookie season. That season he scored 16 goals and had 13 assists, which coincidentally is what he currently has this season.
Joonas Korpisalo got the start and played very well outside of one bad goal. PK Subban skated across centre and rather than dump the puck in, he decided to just blast it at Korpisalo, and it beat him. It was really hard to tell what happened as to why Korpisalo missed it. Subban just shoots the puck so hard. It could have easily just caught Korpisalo off guard. To his credit he didn’t let the goal affect him and didn’t allow another goal.
another look at Subban's center ice goal pic.twitter.com/0GmriMNhA2
— Stephanie (@myregularface) January 26, 2016What I didn’t like about the goal was the penalty afterwards. Subban was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. It wasn’t clear if it was for his celebration or if it was for the shove he gave Dubinsky afterwards. Either way I didn’t think it deserved a penalty. I do not have a problem with guys celebrating. Goal celebrations are awesome; they are fun for the fans and players. They should not be penalized.
Stat of the Night
Stats courtesy of HockeyStats.ca and War On Ice.
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