Anahime Ducks @ Columbus Blue Jackets: 1/19/23 Game Recap

Period 1 was as good, if not the best,, period of hockey the Columbus Blue Jackets have played all season. t just 2:17 into this period, Mathieu Oliver would score goal number three of his 2022-23 NHL Season.  e primary assist on this goal would be number eight for Eric Robinson, while the second would be number six for Adam Boqvist. A other goal would come quickly after this at 6:05, Jack Roslovic would score goal number two of the game and number four for himself this season. T s goal had no assists, it was all Rossie! In he last few minutes, Nick Blankenburg would finally get the goal he'd been skating so hard for all night. Wit roughly five minutes left in this period, a fight between Mathiew Oliver and Ducks Sam Carrick would break out. Both ould leave the ice after, having gotten 5-minute majors. The t rd goal of this game would belong to him at 17:43, his third goal of the season. Patrik aine would pick up the primary assist on this goal, number eleven for him this season, and Johnny Gaudreau would make his total assists an even thirty with the secondary assist. 3-0 Blu Jackets lead after just one period.  

Now, you can't expect a struggling team like us to stop fighting. The Ducks would elec to try and shift the momentum, putting their backup goaltender (John Gibson) in the visitors net, taking out their starter (Anthony Stolzar).   At 0:22 into period 2,, A. Henrique would score for the Ducks, making this a 3-1 lead in our favor.  C. Fowler would then score at 13:07, and then the comeback from three would be complete with a goal from S. Benoit at 15:02.  This wasn't a bad period for the Blue Jackets, Gibson just managed to deny all their amazing offensive shots, while the few which the Ducks got they capitalized on.  With this second period in the books, the third period would start essentially a brand new hockey game, as the Ducks and Blue Jackets are knotted at 3-3.    

Unfortunatley, the Blue Jackets started off with such promise tonight, but would lose this game.  T. Zegras would score at 5:07, giving his Ducks their first lead tonight 4-3.  An odd gathering before the net and Merzlikins, blocking the view of the puck, would allow one more Ducks goal.  This time it would come from M. Jones at 15:31.  The final tonight would be 5-3, Ducks win.  

Again, this wasn't the worst game the Blue Jackets have played all season; the Ducks just had some good chances that they capitilzed on.  Misdirection was key to them and they made it work.  The Powerplay unit let one chance slip way, yes, just one in all sixty minutes.  Our Powerplay Kill team had far many more chances to do their job and they came through perfectly, denying all three chances the Ducks had.  It means all eight goals in this game were at even strength.  Our shots on goal were 33 and funny enough, theirs were also 33.  Even with some minor number wins though, this one stings because I honestly thought we had this in the bag.  

Congrats to Patrik Laine on reaching a career milestone here in Columbus tonight though, marking his 100th point since joining our local team!  

The San Jose Sharks come to Nationwide Arena on Saturday.  That game has a puck drop time of 7:00PM and we'll see if the team can rally from this unexpected loss.  

Go CBJ!