Columbus Blue Jackets @ Arizona Coyotes: 2/19/23 Game Recap

Period 1 would belong to the Coyotes, but not until T. Boyd found the net at 14:14. The Coyotes would extend their lead to 2-0 after a goal from N. Schmaltz at 16:28. The main highlight of this period would be the Blue Jackets giving the Coyotes a chance at the Powerplay; however, they would be denied. The 2-0 Coyotes lead would take us into Period 2, where the Blue Jackets would find their rhythm.  

The second the puck dropped in Period 2, we'd see Blue Jackets Erik Gudbranson and Coyotes Josh Brown would go at it, throwing blow after blow until the refs broke them up. At 13:23, Captain Boone Jenner would prevent the shutout with his seventeenth goal of the season. For anyone on the 5th Line wondering, he does have the most right now and has extended his lead over Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine by two. Nick Blankenburg would have the primary assist on this Jenner goal, his fifth during this 2022-23 NHL season. The secondary assist would come from another defenseman, Andrew Peeke, the fourth of his 2022-23 NHL season. No other goals would come this period, and we'd have a 2-1 game going into Period 3, with the Coyotes hanging onto a narrow, single-goal lead. 

This period would start with the heat of a green pepper and quickly get as spicy as a habanero! After stops of play resulted in a bit of shoving and conversation; however, a hit on Erik Gudbranson would end the ref's patience. The Blue Jackets would get a Powerplay, and this time we'd capitalize, baby! With his sixteenth goal of the season, Patrik Laine is now just one goal behind his Captain, Boone Jenner. This goal would come at 15:07, and with Adam Boqvist gaining the primary assist on this goal, he now has a four-game-point streak! This is his thirteenth assist so far this season. In addition, Boone Jenner would add his fifteenth with the secondary. Now tied a 2-2, the spice would continue as Blue Jackets Mathieu Olivier and Coyotes Nick Ritchie. This would get so heated that both players would get a five-minute penalty for fighting, resulting in each being dismissed for the rest of regulation. We'd get some nail-biter scoring attempts in the last few seconds of Period 3, but neither team would score. This means the Blue Jackets would get at least 1 point tonight and now have points in their last three games. That said, it was time for bonus hockey!

At 2:00 on the nose, B. Hayton would get a pass and shoot his shot, landing behind Elvis Merzlikins. The final tonight would be a 3-2 Coyotes Overtime Win. With that in mind, this was a huge improvement compared to when these last two teams met in Nationwide Arena on October 25th, 2022.  That game ended with a Coyotes 6-3 win, and I was shocked to hear our fans booing the home team. This game tonight shows that this team isn't the same; they're improving, which is very encouraging.  

The Arizona Coyotes would challenge Merzlikins and his visitor net 25 times, and Merzlikins would deny 22 of those.  

Believe it or not, we don't have another game until Thursday, February 23rd! The Wild will travel from Minnesota to face the Blue Jackets in Nationwide Arena; the puck drop is set for 7:00 PM. I have plans that night, but once I'm able, I will recap.  

Well done to the Blue Jackets on this bite-size road trip.  

Go CBJ!   

     

.