Ottawa Senators @ Columbus Blue Jackets: 4/2/23 Game Recap

We'd see the opposite Blue Jackets team we saw last night tonight. The Blue Jackets came out roughly twenty-four hours ago against the Panthers with fire, but it quickly fizzled as they shut them out 7-0. The Senators faced a similar defeat last night; they lost at home in a shutout too, but just 3-0 to the NHL Playoff-bound Maple Leafs. The Blue Jackets are playing for confidence to carry over into the 2023-24 NHL Season and a top 2023 NHL Draft Pick this summer. On the other end of the ice, the Senators are in a tight Atlantic Division, where many teams, including themselves, are still not out of the 2023 NHL Playoff hunt. That division looks prepared to go down to the wire as this game did. 

Period 1 would see a high goal total with five. The first goal would come from the hometown team, Columbus Blue Jackets, and mark Kent Johnson's sixteenth of his Rookie Season! This is a huge deal because it shoots him up the record board with the fourth most in that introductory NHL Season. What a night for Johnson. This goal would come at just 2:41 into this game; Gavin Bayrreuther would add his eleventh assist this season, while Johnny Gaudreau has hit fifty-one. Fun fact, this also marks Gaudreau's seventieth point this season. At 4:00 exactly, Senators D. Gambrell would get the Senators on the board and knot this game at 1-1. Eric Robinson would answer just 5 seconds later, though, at 4:05! He has eleven goals this season, and that's the most he's ever had in one. So, tonight was a massive night for personal and franchise records being broken. Emil Beemstorm would add his fifteenth assist on Robinson's goal, while Justin Richards would score his first assist as a Blue Jacket! At 9:26 M.. Kastelic would bring his team back to a 2-2 tie, while A. DeBrincat would give his Senators their first evening lead, making it 3-2. They would carry this lead into Period 2, but compared to last night, the Blue Jackets were busy this opening period, and it was great to see!

Period 2 would be a keep-away clinic. The 3-2 Senators' lead from Period 1 would continue throughout Period 2, and we'd carry that score over into the final 20 minutes of regulation. It would come to a 3-3 tie after a Captain Boone Jenner goal at 14:11. This makes his total this season twenty-six. Kirill Marchenko would add his fourth assist in his short, first NHL Season. In addition, the second assist on this Jenner goal would go to Billy Sweezy, his first as an NHL Player! The 3-3 tie would take us to the end of this period and into our favorite time, Overtime! 

It would take 0:16 to put a bow on this game for the Blue Jackets! Kirill Marchenko would also set a new Rookie Goal Record as he scored his twenty-first goal of his first NHL Season. (Separate post coming soon!) The Blue Jackets take the two points tonight with a final of 4-3! The only assist on the Marchenko goal belongs to Johnny Gaudreau, who's now reached fifty-two this season. What a win and night for both small and large team victories. 

Your three Stars tonight:

Third Star: Jon Gillies: Goalie: He had 24 stops on the Senators 27 chances on his goal and picks up Win 1 as a Blue Jacket!

Second Star: Kirill Marchenko: 1-1-2, including the winning goal in Overtime.

Third Star: Boone Jenner: 1-0-1, scoring the goal which forced the Overtime Period.

Our next game is on April 4th. We'll travel to Canada to face the Toronto Maple leafs. The puck drop for that game is set for 7:00 PM. 

Enjoy this one, guys!

GO CBJ!