Final Score: Hurricanes 3 – Blue Jackets 2
Game Summary
The Jackets played another very strong game, and should have won. They dominated the game for stretches, generating a ridiculous amount of chances. The Hurricanes though scored three goals early in the third to steal a 3-2 win.
Losses are never fun but Jackets fans should be satisfied with that game. The Jackets played very well and didn’t hurt their draft odds. The Jackets nearly doubled Carolina’s shots 44-24. They crushed it at even strength, controlling an insane 67% of the shot attempts and 68% of the scoring chances. The Jackets had a season high in terms of both scoring chances and high danger chances. Their 42 (!!!) scoring chances were nine more than the previous high (33, Dec. 15 vs Dallas), and their 29 high danger chances were 12 more (17, Feb. 25 vs New Jersey). Those 29 HD chances are the most by any team in a game this season.
Huge credit has to go to Eddie Lack, the Carolina net minder. He was unbelievable in stopping all those chances. He is the reason Carolina was even competitive tonight.
Matt Calvert scored the Jackets first goal. Brandon Dubinsky won the draw; Prout got the puck and fired a simple wrister. Matt Calvert was in the blue paint proving the screen and Eddie Lack couldn’t see it. The Hurricanes challenged for goaltender interference and while there was some contact it wasn’t significant enough to change the call.
Through two periods it felt like that goal would be enough with the way the Jackets were playing. Then the third period happened and everything came unraveled.
Victor Rask started the scoring with a real nice goal. He used Ryan Murray as a screen and shot it through his legs. Sergei Bobrovsky couldn’t see it and didn’t even react until the puck was in the net. The second was a breakaway by Chris Terry. Ryan Murphy made an alert lob pass to Terry who made a nice move to beat Bob. The final goal started just off of a nothing play. The Jackets failed to the clear the puck, Jordan Staal threw it towards the net, it was tipped and just like that Carolina had a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Boone Jenner made it interesting pulling the Jackets within one. He got the puck behind the net and made that power move we have seen him make so often, and was able to force the puck into the net. For Boone that was his team leading 27th of the year.
if at first you don't succeed... pic.twitter.com/oLeu71rvGp
— NHL Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 25, 2016
Earlier in the day it was announced that Jared Boll would receive a four game suspension for his hit last game. I thought that was way too much, as a said after the game I felt like a fine was coming and that would be it. My guess is Boll’s history played a big part in this decision.
Stat of the Night
Stats courtesy of HockeyStats.ca, War On Ice, and Hockey Reference.
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