Columbus Blue Jackets @ Boston Bruins: 3/30/23 Game Recap

This would be a spicy game. Period 1 would start with a fast and quick-paced game, which you'd expect when playing the likely 2023 NHL President's Trophy Winners in their arena. The Blue Jackets would come into tonight looking to prevent them from claiming that coveted award tonight and start out strong in that mission. The only goal this period would come from Jack Roslovic at 8:08. This marks his tenth goal this season. There would be just one assist on this Roslovic goal, and it would be Liam Foudy's sixth this season in the NHL. The Blue Jackets would leave the ice, after the opening period, with a 1-0 lead. Now, you're probably thinking to yourself, "Heather, that's not spicy?" Just wait; period 2 would quickly take this game from a bell pepper to a jalapeno! 

Our first fight, yes, first, would happen early into this period. Billy Sweezy, who joined the Blue Jackets just days ago, would find himself in his first conflict with his family cheering him on! Seeing him take on Jakub Lauko and hold his own quite nicely is a sight. A few minutes after this, Lane Pederson would have a penalty called on himself and was likely grateful when the original five-minute minor was reduced to a more common two-minute stay in the penalty box. Unfortunately, at 10:07, the Bruins would manage to get on the board, thanks to T. Bertuzzi. The score would be 1-1 as the next fight would get underway. This time it would be Lane Pederson and Trend Fredrick. This was a bit one-sided, as Fredrick would land a hit to Pederson's head. Instead of staying in the penalty box, Pederson would go back to be checked out to ensure he didn't have a head injury. Not long after this, Kirill Marchenko would go to the penalty box for four minutes upon scraping the edge of his stick along the mouth of Brad Marchand. Seconds into Marchenko's bench-warming time, it would look like the Bruins had made this a 2-1 game. However, that goal would be dismissed just as fast as it had appeared to come. The Blue Jackets would then kill the full Power Play, and the period would end with a 1-1 tie. See, I told you it got spicy in Boston! 

Period 3 would not see either the Blue Jackets or Bruins hold back. An unfortunate update, Lane Pederson wouldn't return to the bench with his team, so not a good sign. About halfway through this period, Captain Boone Jenner would be brought into a fight with Brandon Carlo. Jenner would defend himself, getting in just a few swings while mostly holding Carlo at bay and absorbing his hits. Ultimately, each player would gain a five-minute minor in their team's penalty box. It would come at a bad time because Jack Roslovic, the only Blue Jacket to score this evening, would head back to be checked out by the medical team. At this point, it would become helpful that Kent Johnson had played Center at Michigan because that's right where he went, out of necessity, with roughly half a period to play. Even with missing players, the Blue Jackets would hold on and force a battle in Overtime!   

Ugh. At 0:41 into the five-minute Overtime Period, D. Pastrnak would end this game and give his Boston Bruins the 2023 President's Trophy. Still, for all our fight and strategy, we'd skate away with a point and our pride. This team has come a long way since the start of this season, and watching these young Blue Jackets grow into tough NHL Players is nothing short of an adventure. So proud of our Blue Jackets tonight. Your final tonight is a 2-1 Bruins win.   

Hutchinson had 29 stops on the Bruins, 31 shots. Tonight was one of his best games since joining the Blue Jackets Franchise. Our Power Play would strike out on all five of their chances, but our Power Play Kill would limit the Bruins to just one goal on their five chances. Overall, it was one of the most cohesive games I've seen this season, especially against a top team. 

Our next game will welcome former goalie Sergei Bobrovsky back to Nationwide Arean, along with his Florida Panthers, on Saturday night. The puck drop for that game is set for 7:00 PM. We'll see what magic this skeleton team can cook up then and if we need more players by then. Remember, Pederson and Roslovic both left the bench and didn't return. Let's hope for the best, as the Cleveland Monsters could see the postseason, and for that reason definitely need their players more than we do!

Go CBJ!