The CBJ Writer

Tonight, our Blue Jackets look to close out March with a bang. Well, hopefully more than one, but you get my point, 5th Line. Every game is a must-win as we sit in Wildcard 2 with the potential to jump higher in the standings, but only if we keep getting points.  Tonight's opening period wouldn't be the best for the Blue Jackets. The Hurricanes' Shayne Gostisbehere would add goal thirteen to his season 13:29 into the game, giving his road team a 1-0 lead. Further, this goal would be scored on the power play as Dante Fabbro sat in the box for 2 minutes after he slashed Alexander Nikishin. Nikola Ehlers would add his thirty-ninth assist this season on the primary, while Andrei Svechnikov would add his thirty-seventh assist of his season on the secondary. It wouldn't be long before the Blue Jackets would, unfortunately, find themselves on the penalty kill again, this time with Kent Johnson in the box for high-sticking Hurricanes' Taylor Hall. The situation would yield ...

Last night's loss was disappointing; there's no other way to say it. The San Jose Sharks came back to tie the game, then won with 1:25 to play, stung. The good news is that we are still in a playoff spot going into our home game tonight against the Bruins.  Our Blue Jackets would come out renewed and ready to put last night in the past where it belongs. Camptain Boone Jenner would make the cannon bang at 6:17 with goal eleven of his season! Conor Garland would add his twenty-first assist to his season total with the only assist on the Blue Jackets' first goal tonight. This goal would be followed by a second tip-in goal at 7:45 from Mason Marchment, marking goal eighteen of his season! Ivan Provorov gets his twenty-first assist this season on the primary, while Kirill Marchenko adds his thirty-fifth assist on the secondary. Then, we'd have a fight between Erik Gudbranson of our Blue Jackets and Tanner Jeannot of the Bruins at 17:35! Both men would get five-minute majors ...

So, I was still at work for most of Period 1. That said, congratulations to Denton Mateychuk, who scored just 00:31 into the game! This was goal twelve of his season, and it would also give Adam Fantilli his thirty-third assist this season. Of course, the Sharks are going to put up a fight. They would match that goal at 17:17, thanks to goal four of Igor Chernyshov's season. There would be just one assist on this goal as well, and it would go to Will Smith, giving him twenty-seven so far this season. The shots on goal in this opening period would be close, 9-8 in favor of our Blue Jackets.  There would be only one goal in the second period, and it would give our Blue Jackets back their one-goal lead! Cole Sillinger would add his eighth goal this season at 12:09! Ivan Provorov would have thee only assist on this goal, giving him his twentieth this season. The Blue Jackets would lead 2-1 at the end of this period, but the Sharks were in control of this period, winning shots on goal 1...

 A win tonight was important for both teams. This was imminent throughout the game as both teams played as if it were a playoff game. Given the standings, it basically is. Period 1 would see a goal for each team. The Canadians' Jayden Struble would score the first goal of the game, and the first goal of his season, at 9:54. Zachary Bolduc added his seventeenth assist this season on the primary, while Lane Hutson added his fifty-ninth assist this season on the secondary. Damon Severson would match that goal with his eighth this season at 12:17! Our Captain, Boone Jenner, would add his twenty-third assist this season on the primary, while Isac Lundestrom added his seventh assist this season on the secondary. Although the score would be tied, the Blue Jackets would dominate shots on goal this period, 13-6.   Period 2 would have a lot of action, but it would lack the most important thing in hockey: Goals. Yep, the score would remain 1-1 after forty minutes were in the books. ...

Period 1 tonight wouldn't be the best for our Columbus Blue Jackets. The Flyers would dominate in shots on goal for the period, 10-3. The Flyers would also get awarded a penalty shot about halfway through the opening period, but Jet Greaves did his job by stopping it, keeping this game 0-0. Unfortunately, a rebound would come off Jet Greaves and give Flyers Sean Couturier his eighth this season at 17:07. Luke Glendening would come away with his sixth assist this season on the primary, while Rasmus Ristolainen would add his eighth assist this season on the secondary. The opening period tonight would close with that 1-0 Flyers lead. But don't worry, 5th Line, the Blue Jackets would find their mojo in Period 2.  00:44 into the middle period, Mathieu Olivier would tie this game at 1-1 with goal number fifteen of his season! It's great to see one of the team's main enforcers do as well in scoring as he did last season! Speaking of doing well this season, Zach Werenski picks ...

Let's set the table before we get to the main course tonight, 5th Line. Last night, both of these teams played. The Columbus Blue Jackets won big at home over the Seattle Kraken, 5-2. On the other hand, the New York Islanders didn't have the best night. They lost at the Montreal Canadians, 7-3. The Blue Jackets and Islanders both had to travel to New York for tonight's game. These teams sit just 2 points apart. The Blue Jackets have 85 points and sit in 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders once held our spot until we beat the Rangers last Thursday at home, 6-3. The New York Islanders sit just outside of the playoffs with 83 points. Yes, this division and the Eastern Conference as a whole are that close, and I don't see that changing for the rest of the regular season! All of these teams, both in and outside the playoffs, are playing some amazing, tight hockey. Tonight's game between our Blue Jackets and the Islanders would follow that trend.  Bo Hor...