A 5-1 Win In Nationwide Arena, Against The Canadians, On A Huge Night For CBJ Hockey! 4/13/22

No bad luck here, 5th Line!  All the moments tonight 5th line, my goodness!  It was good to see Josh Anderson and David Savard back in Nationwide Arena, no doubt.  Also, can you believe it's already Patrik Laine's 100th Game with our Columbus Blue Jackets?  That went so fast, much like how it's impossible to believe tonight was also Zach Werenski's 400th with his one and only NHL Team.  All of this and we're still not done!  Tonight was also Kent Johnson, #13, and Nick Blankenburg's, #77, very first NHL Game.  A huge welcome to them both!  Not to mention a Columbus Blue Jackets Birthday, that of Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.  Happy birthday, again, to him.  Now, into a momentous game we go!  

Remember Hattrick Roslovic from the Detroit game, where he scored 2 and then the winner to complete such an amazing achievement, one he never had as a Blue Jacket?  Yeah, him?  He's still hot 5th Line!  The first goal tonight in the game would be his at 8:36.  Laine would gain the first assist on this goal, number 29 this season for #29.  The second assist would go to Gavrikov, his 27th of the season.  Again, this may be a "rebuild" and non-playoff year, but these numbers are still impressive.  With that being said, the period would end 1-0, in favor of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  

Period 2 would see more goals.  The Roslovic and Laine, with the addition of Nyquist this time, would join forces again for another goal.  This one would come at 15:52.  At 17:22, Laine would take his turn at the net, scoring his own goal for the CBJ!  Nyquist would gain another assist on the night, his total after this one would be 29 also.  Voracek would capture the second assist and believe it or not, he's up to 48 assist now this 2021-22 NHL Season.  Just incredible for him.  Sadly, the hopes of a a Birthday Shutout for Merzlikins would be dashed in the last few moments of this period with a Canadians Powerplay Goal.  It would come at 18:09 and from Poehling.  So close but still a sizable 3-1 Blue Jackets lead after an eventful second period.  

The Blue Jackets would continue to pull away in Period 3.  At 6:24 we'd see a faceoff result in a Sillinger goal!  This marks the 18-year-old, youngest player in the NHL right now, goal number 13!  Assists on this goal would go to Bemstrom and the second assist becomes the first NHL point for Blankenburg!  This would be followed up by a 17:38 Bemstrom goal, his 6th of the season.  He hasn't gotten much action due to injury and other obstacles this season, but this shot was a fake-out beauty.  Assist to Voracek, number 49 and Gavrikov, number 28.  With a 5-1 lead at this point it would also be a 5-1 win!  


Regarding our new Blue Jackets, I was incredibly impressed with both Johnson and Blankenburg, tonight.  Johnson was right in the thick of the Offensive Line, but the night truly belonged to Blankenburg in my mind.  Blankenburg was right in the Defensive mix tonight like he'd been a Blue Jacket all NHL Season.  He's giving checks, taking checks, blocking shots left and right.  I believed this young man was something special, but wow.  If this is what he showed the coach's over his only 2 days of practice, I understand why he went from working alongside Kukan, to being paired with Bean, yesterday.  He topped off the night with his first NHL point, on the Sillinger goal, then added a third game star as the cherry on top of his First NHL Game sundae.  A class act, at the end in his interview on ice he said it was a "dream come true" and mentioned how great it was to get the win for Elvis, on his birthday.  Here-here!  Also, if you were worried about his 5'9 height and 175 lb. as a Defenseman, I think he just put your worries to bed.     

Speaking of Elvis Merzlikins, he only let 1 goal on his net all night.  This came out of 21 Canadian shots on his goal.  Well done to Merzlikins.  No doubt, a birthday win is all the sweeter, I'm sure!

Alright, I think that's everything for such huge night in Nationwide Arena.  The season continues as we go on the road again!  April 16th is the next game as we head out to sunny California to face off against the L. A. Kings!  Maybe we can repay the home ice loss from that March 4th, 4-3 Overtime loss, here in Columbus?  I like that plan, how about you 5th Line?  A note to keep in mind about this game, being out on the West Coast, it is a very late game.  Puck drop isn't until 10:30 PM EST.  So, maybe trade in some of that beer for a coffee?  Probably not a popular opinion, but not a bad idea though.  

Go CBJ!    



 

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