Columbus Blue Jackets @ Toronto Maple Leafs: 12/14/23 Game Recap

The Blue Jackets would look to bounce back from their hard-fought home loss against the Panthers Sunday, which showed early on! At 6:19, we watched as Patrik Laine sent home goal six of his season and tonight's game's first goal. With the only assist on Laine's goal, Kent Johnson would expand his amount to four in his short time playing in the NHL this season. The only other goal this period would belong to Kent Johnson, giving him a pair this season and a multipoint game just 11:56 into the first period! Again, just one assist on this Johnson goal would be the second for Andrew Peek. A 2-0 lead is nice, but in the NHL, it could be a better lead. No worries, though; the Blue Jackets will add more goals in period two!  

At 8:16, it would be Justin Danforth's turn for a goal. This gives him seven now this season and plenty of time for more. Ivan Proverov has continued to prove himself to be a great off-season pickup for the Blue Jackets, and he'd continue this with his fourteenth assist on this Danforth goal. In addition, David Jiricek adds his fifth. Up next is Yegor Chinakov, who would also score his seventh goal this season tonight at 10:45. Ivan Proverov adds his second assist tonight, number fifteen this season, on the Chinakov goal. It would also be assist number six for David Jiricek, who also has a multipoint night. At this point, that marks Kent Johnson, Ivan Proverov, and David Jiricek with a multipoint game tonight, and this game was only half over. A 4-0 lead can only get better with another goal, and Johnny Gaudreau would add it at 14:19. It's his fifth goal this season, and even though that number is lower than last season, it's still great to see him finding his rhythm again. Yegor Chinakov, with his fourth assist this season, becomes the fourth Blue Jacket with a multipoint night. Zach Werenski also gets in on the point fest with his twenty-first assist this season. 

A sobering chill would return to the season for the Blue Jackets in period two, though, as we'd lose Patrik Laine. He hit the boards at a bad angle, and we'd never see him retake the ice. When leaving, it was clear his injury was related to his arm, and so when the news came quickly he'd be out for an upper-body injury, I wasn't surprised. Sad, yes, surprised...no.   

Now, of course, the Maple Leafs aren't going to just give up. They would head into the final period down by five goals and quickly make up two of them. This would happen at 0:38 by way of William Nylander and at 3:49 by way of Mitchell Marner. The Blue Jackets would then hyperfocus on protecting their 5-2 lead. The Blue Jackets would then face a call, which led to a powerplay and resulted in a third Leaf's goal at 14:21. The goal would belong to Jake McCabe. Austin Mathews would then make all Blue Jackets' fans want to look away after he'd score at 18:45 and then again at 19:15. Yes, that's five goals to match ours in just one period. The final seconds would slip away, and this suddenly 5-5 game would go into bonus hockey. 

At this point, I'm screaming for them to just win for Patrik Laine's sake. Thankfully, the Blue Jackets would return for the overtime period with fire under their skates, and at 3:26, it would pay off! Kent Johnson goes 2-1-3 tonight, including the goal to win in overtime. Another assist for Zach Werenski gives him twenty-two this season and a multipoint night. In addition, Justin Danforth would go 1-1-2, giving him a multipoint night as well. That's six Blue Jackets with a multipoint night. Yes, the Blue Jackets got lucky after losing their substantial lead. That said, a win is a win. 

A huge congrats to Yegor Chinakov on his Third Star tonight, as well as Kent Johnson on his First Star! 

It was also a Franchise Record night for the Blue Jackets in Toronto as they lifted the bar for most blocked shots in a game to 38. 

The next game is on December 16th as we get to watch the New Jersey Devils in Nationwide Arena. Given we beat them at home less than two weeks ago, we'll have our hands full holding off Devils revenge. This game will start at 7:00 p.m. 

GO CBJ!