Columbus Blue Jackets @ Dallas Stars: 2024-25 NHL Season Game 53

First, a moment of appreciation for James van Riemsdyk who we found out tonight had a major injury from the last game but returned in a face mask to finish the game. I'm sorry, I'm a team player, but if I lose four teeth and have to get thirty stitches after eating a hockey stick, I don't know if I'm coming back for more. What a player; I hope we resign him now more than ever. If you find his team ethic impressive, just wait. 

Tonight, the Jackets wouldn't wait until period three to get their first goal. They would be the first to score at 6:43 by way of Cole Sillinger as he adds goal nine to his season and reaches triple digits in the point column with his 100th! Kent Johnson would add his nineteenth assist with the primary while a stiched-up James van Riemsdyk would add his thirteenth assist this season on the secondary. See, I told you you'd be impressed. Now, of course, the Stars are still a very competitive team that will likely see the playoffs in 2025. So, it's no surprise that a goal from M. Marchment, his thirteenth of the season, would tie the game at 13:36. The primary assist on this goal would become the first this season for L. Bichsel and the secondary would become number eight this season for M. Bourque. This is how the first period would end, the score 1-1. 

In period one, it's worth noting that Defenseman, Dante Fabro, would take a concerning hit, an elbow to the head area, and leave the game. It would be stated by the team early in period two that he wouldn't return to finish out the game. I wish him the best and hope he's alright.

At 4:58, the Jackets would again have the first goal of the period, but this time it would be goal number sixteen this season for Adam Fantill. This is his third game in a row with at least a point. Dimitri Voronkov would add the primary assist to his assist total this season, giving him seventeen total while teammate Kirill Marchenko adds his thirty-fourth assist this season on the secondary. L. Stankoven would answer this Jackets goal at 6:03, tying the game at 2-2 with his seventh this season. The only assist on this goal would belong to M. Granlund and it would become his thirty-first this season. At 12:02, the Jackets would again take the lead (3-2) with Ivan Provorov's fourth goal this season. Mikael Pyyhtia would come away with the primary assist, his third this season while Justin Danforth would add his seventh assist this season on the secondary. Unfortunately, the tail end of this period would go all kinds of wrong for the Jackets. Not only would the Stars tie the game again at 15:49 on the powerplay with a goal from W. Johnston his fifteenth this season, but the Jackets would lose two more big players to injury. Dante Fabro would go out earlier this period and not return from the locker room. The primary assist on this Stars goal would belong to T. Harley, his eighteenth of the season while teammate J. Robertson would add his thirty-first this season on the secondary. As for the injured Jackets joining Donte Fabro, Zach Werenski, the team's point leader, would be the second player to vanish into the locker room and not return, The third and final player down the tunnel would be Kirill Marchenko, the team's goal-scoring leader after a puck went airborne and struck him in the face when he was seated on the bench. He would not return either, and suddenly the present and future of this team would become unsettling ahead of a big third period.   

The good news is that one player would return to the ice for the two players injured during period three, Zach Werenski. This is a huge reassurance after losing Dante Fabro in period one. At 11:22, E. Dadonov would give his home team their first lead of the night. But, Immediately, Elvis Merzlikins would argue his case for a high stick call. This would result in the refs choosing to review the goal without a challenge from the Jackets, but the Stars would be credited with a good goal in the end and take their 4-3 lead. The primary assist would become number nineteen for T. Harley and the secondary would become number eleven for L. Lyubushkin. E. Dadonov would double up at 15:47 with goal fifteen this season. The primary assist would go to W. Johnston, again, and it would become his thirtieth assist this season while the secondary assist would become number nineteen for J. Benn. And. just like that, the Stars would have a two-goal lead, 5-3. The Jackets would get a powerplay at the end of the game and elect to pull Elvis Merzlikins from the visitor's net to gain a two-man advantage, but even with all that fight, they wouldn't find another goal this game. Dallas would go on to win, 5-3. 

The Jackets will look to start a new winning streak as they travel to Buffalo for the final game on this four-game road trip. That game will take place Tuesday evening and the puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. 

Go CBJ!