Buffalo Sabers @ Columbus Blue Jackets: 2024-25 NHL Season Game 4

The festivities that would normally kick off the NHL Regular Season took place tonight in Nationwide Arena. What the team planned for opening night to honor Johnny Gaudreau and Mathew Gaudreau was beautiful, and I would've changed a thing. I plan to do a post on that evening soon. That all said, even though tonight was a celebration for the team, a few moments still stood out as emotional to me. First, it's amazing to see Justin Danforth back on the ice where he belongs after a long wrist recovery that included surgery. On the flip side, it was rough to see our Captain, Boone Jenner, walk out in a sling after having shoulder surgery last week. In addition to him, we're also without Erik Gudbranson and Elvis Merzlikins due to injuries as well. We also have no updates on Dmitri Voronkov who was injured in the preseason. With all those injuries ups and downs, the moment that brought me to tears was seeing Sean Monahan, a dear friend of the passed away Johnny Gaudreau, come out on the ice wearing an 'A' as an Alternate Captain. Of course, many remember that Johnny Gaudreau also wore that coveted 'A' during his time in Columbus. A huge congratulations to number 23 for being given this honor, an honor I am so happy to see him carry, even if it is only temporary until Erik Gudbranson can return from Injury Reserve. 

The first period would be an exciting one for Columbus fans. Early into the first period the Blue Jackets would gain their first advantage on the powerplay and Yegor Chinakov would make it count at 5:12, accomplishing his second goal this season. Zach Werenski would add his first assist point to the season while Kent Johnson would add his third. It would take until 19:28 for another goal to come, and that would belong solely to Kirill Marchenko! With seconds left he'd give his home team a two-goal advantage with 40 minutes to play in regulation. 

The first period would belong to the Blue Jackets, but the second would bring a storm of goals for both teams. First, R. McLeod would score at 9:34, preventing the shutout for for Jackets. J. Zucker and J. Greenway would pick up assists on his goal. At 12:18, the Blue Jackets would take back their two-goal lead thanks to Adam Fantilli finding the net for the second time this season. Zach Werenski would have his second assist of the season and night and Ivan Provorov would have his first assist this season. That lead would be cut down to one goal again by Sabers' J. Kulich at 17:29. D. Cozens and H Jokiluarju would both pick up assists on this Sabers goal. Seconds later, at 17:58, Mathieu Oliver would take back that two-goal lead again for the home team. This was his first goal of the regular season. Cole Sillinger would put himself on the score sheet tonight with his second assist this season while Jake Christiansen would also do the same with his second assist this season, too. It would shock no one at this point in period two that the Sabers wouldn't back down, and they squeaked one more puck past Daniil Terasov at 19:35 thanks to O. Power. This goal would have no assists and take us to the end of a five-goal period with a 4-3 Blue Jackets lead. 

The two-goal lead wasn't the only loss in this second period. Kent Johnson, who's shown much improvement this preseason and regular season already, took a hit. He did leave the ice and before the third period began it was announced by the team he had suffered an 'upper body injury' and would remain out for the night at least. Nothing more was said, so we'll have to keep an eye out for updates in the coming days. I wish him well.  

Zach Aston-Reese would kick off the scoring just 0:15 into period three, and it was an epic shot off puck drop! Jake Christiansen would ass his third assist to his season and second of the night while Mathieu Oliver would have his first assist this season, adding to his first goal this season in period two! Damon Severson would add some glaze to this sweet treat of a game with his first goal this season, and the primary assist on this goal gives Kirill Marchenko four already this season. This would also take the Jackets to a three-goal lead, their highest of the night. The Sabers would try and chip away at that lead, accomplish one more goal at 17:51 by way of J. Peterka. The two assists would go to T. Thompson and R. Dahlin, but that would be as close as the visiting team would come to the dominant home team this evening. Jackets would go on to win this game 6-4! 

Damon Severson would be the Third Star of the evening after having his first goal of the regular season. 

Matheu Oliver would close out the night with the Second Star this evening after a multipoint night of 1-1-2. 

Kirill Marchenko would capture the First Star of the evening with his own multipoint night of 1-1-2. 

The team looked cohesive and not once got down on themselves. If the Sabers score they let it roll off their back and score again, and again, and again. In the past, losing a main player has shaken this team, and rightfully so, but it's great to see them push to win for their fallen player instead of panic and let a win slip away.  This is the team we want to see this season, and seeing it so soon in the year is great sign Dean Evason is leading this team in the right direction. 

Our next game is Saturday evening. The Minnesota Wild will visit Nationwide Arena for the first time at 7:00 p.m. 

Enjoy the win, guys!

GO CBJ!