2025 NHL Stadium Series Detroit Red Wings @ Columbus Blue Jackets (March 1, 2025)

It was a sight out of a dream, if you've been a lifelong fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets Franchise or a fan since the start of this season, to honor the late, great, Johnny Gaudreau. It was a packed 90,000+ crowd for the first hockey game in The Horseshoe, and it was apparent most of those fans were for the home team! After watching the Gaudreau family escort the Columbus Blue Jackets over, seeing the Ohio State Athletic Band perform Script OHIO, watching the National Anthem and fly over, it was already a stunning display and we hadn't even played hockey yet.  

The opening period would be full of good goal opportunities but neither team would score. It was apparent that both the Red Wings and Blue Jackets were getting used to the built ice rink inside The Horseshoe. That said, period two, both teams would prove that they'd figured it out, particularly the Blue Jackets! 

After a rockin' mini concert by the Ohio-based band, Twenty-One Pilots, the puck would drop on an eventful, four-goal period. Denton Mateychuk would become the first NHL Hockey Player to score a goal in the Horseshoe, his third this season. The goal at 5:31 would give Captain Boone Jenner his sixth assist this season on the primary and James van Rimesdyk his fifteenth this season on the secondary. With his twenty-eighth goal of the season at 13:06, A. DeBrincat would score on the Red Wings' first Powerplay opportunity. P, Kane would add his twenty-second assist on the secondary while M. Selder would add his thirty-first on the primary. Dimitri Voronkov would ensure the Blue Jackets a goal on their first Powerplay, reclaiming the lead for his home team at 17:23. This would mark #10's twentieth goal this season. Kent Johnson added the primary assist to his season, giving him twenty-two while Zach Werenski added the secondary assist to his season, giving him forty-five. Second later, at 17:55, Mathieu Oliver would send home his twelfth goal this season and give the Blue Jackets their biggest lead of the night, 3-1. Justin Danforth would have the lone assist on this goal and it would be his eighth this season. So, I promised you a recap of four goals, and after the Jackets would carry a 3-1 lead into the final period! 

If I find the interview with the Maradeth Gaudreau and the ESPN commentators tonight during the second intermission, I will post it. If you can find it, you should definitely watch it. It will make you emotional, cry even, but you'll be proud you watched it and that your a fan of her late husband, Johnny Gaudreau, ad their family.  

Early into this period, at 3:34, P. Kane would once again prove why he's such a key piece to any team he plays for, scoring his fifteenth goal this season and bringing his team back to within a goal. S, Edvinsson added his seventeenth assist this season with the primary and A. Johansson added his sixth on the secondary.  The Blue Jackets would kill a penalty on Kirill Marchenko for a high stick and almost make it to the end with a win, almost. A. DaBrincat would add goal twenty-nine to his season at 16:36, tying the game at 3-3. E. Gustafsson would pick up the primary, giving him fifteen this season while P. Kane would add assist number twenty-three on the secondary. Just when I thought this would go to overtime, our boys proved me wrong! I love when I'm wrong! At 17:42, Justin Danforth would punch his sixth goal, with a rebound, to epic fanfare in what has to be the goal of this game! Zach Aston-Reese would enter the double-digit club with his tenth assist on the primary while Ivn Provorov would add his twenty-first on the secondary. After this, Captain Boone Jenner and Alternate Captain Zach Werenski would each dink the puck off the empty net, but Adam Fantilli would find it with his eighteenth goal at 18:52! This would bring the Jackets to a 5-3 lead, giving Zach Werenski his forty-sixth assist this season on the primary and his second tonight, while Boone Jenner would pick up his seventh on the secondary and his second assist tonight, too. The Columbus Jackets would go on to win their first Stadium Series at home in The Horseshoe at The Ohio State University 5-3. 

Third Star of the Game goes to Justin Danforth, with the game winning goal, giving him a 1-1-2 night. 

Second Star of the Game goes to A. DaBrincat, who had a 2-0-2 night. 

First Star of the Game goes to Elvis Merzlikins. He kept his home team in this game with several incredible saves, going 43/46, giving him an outstanding .935 save percentage.  

Aside from a historic win, the Columbus Blue Jackets also won 2 points. They have 68 points and with this win they claim the First Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference! Watching the Johnny Gaudreau tributes, Script Ohio on ice, the goals, the cannon, the celebration, the fainfare..the tying goal and win. This moved me to tears many times, and I had to stop sobbing long enough to close out this blog post win. This team has been established for so long, and to finally be gifted with a moment like this by the league was something I'll remember for the rest of my life. There is so much more hockey ahead, but tonight, this was different, and in the most magical way possible. I've been a fan since 2000 as a six-year-old and the pride I feel right now has yet to be matched, but I look forward to this team trying in the (near) future. 

Our next game will be on the road in Tampa, Florida. That game will be played at 7:00 p.m. on March 4th. Until then, party responsibly, and WE BEAT XICHIGAN! 

GO CBJ!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

(You bet I did 13 !, 5TH LINE!)