Vegas Golden Knights @ Columbus Blue Jackets: 2024-25 NHL Season Game 65

This was an odd game, 5th Line, not gonna lie. The Blue Jackets would have over eighteen shots, roughly 8 of them on net before the visiting Golden Knights would get even one attempt on Elvis Merzlikins' net. The Blue Jackets would be flying but even with amazing control and shots, the Golden Knights' defense and goaltending would be a wall. Then, unfortunately, that first one would count as goal nine this season for N, Roy, and on a powerplay after Justin Danforth sat for two minutes for tripping. J. Eichel would add his fifty-ninth assist on this goal with the primary while T, Hertl would add his twenty-sixth with the secondary. That goal would come at 12:00 thanks to an easy tip in. Then, at 19:01, former Jacket, B. Saad would add his twelfth goal of the season. R. Smith, who returned to the Golden Knights via a trade before the deadline, would have the primary assist on this goal, marking his twenty-first this season. The secondary assist would be the second point tonight, fifteenth assist this season, for N. Roy. So, after many shots on A. Hill, the Golden Knights' goaltender, and two powerplay chances, one for two minutes and a high stick with blood for four, the Jackets would head into period two down 2-0. 

The Golden Knights would continue to push for more goals and, at 12:17 in period two, P. Dorofeyev would add his twenty-sixth this season. The Golden Knights would get a solid breakaway with Dante Fabro left in the dust and Adam Fantilli doing his best to play defenseman. Honestly, wouldn've been pretty cold if it had worked, butt Fantilli isn't a defenseman, and the Goldn Knights would go up 3-0. T. Hertl would add his second assist tonight and twenty-seventh this season on the primary while B, Saad would add his second point tonight, his twelfth assist on the secondary. This would, unfortunately, be the only goal this period and the Jackets would face needing three goals in the third period to just tie this game. 

Something to monitor, Jake Christiansen and Adam Fantilli would collide awkwardly during period one. Later in that same period, a check into the boards with B. Saad of the Golden Knights would also happen. I didn't mention this because although Jake Christiansen left the game briefly, he'd returned. Well, in period three he did not come out with the team. So, hopefully he's alright, but definitely something to watch as we look toward the Rangers at Nationwide Arena Saturday evening. 

Period three would be a 'shoot it if ya got it' situation, and, honestly, some key players like Werenski, Jenner, Fantilli, Marchenko and Voronkov had some good shots, but none of them translated to a goal. Then, a scary moment as T. Hertl would charge the net, Dante Fabro would catch up to him and trip him into Elvis Merzlikins. Thankfully, they were to the far right side of the net,  so although Elvis Merzlikins got clipped, the post got the worst of the collision. Elvis Merzlikins was obviously shook from this situation but finished out the game like a champ. Dante Fabro would sit two minutes, his third time visiting the box this game, for that trip against T. Hertl. The Blue Jackets would manage to kill the Golden Knights' powerplay, but then A. Pietrangelo would score his fourth goal this season. For the sake of saying so, he was as bit a pain for the Blue Jackets shot attempts as goaltender A, Hall, having five blocked shots, too. The primary assist would be number fourteen this season for K. Kolesar and the secondary would be assist number twelve for B, McNabb. The Blue Jackets would go on to be shut out 4-0 at home by the Golden Knights. 

Look, this was not this team's best game because they've set the bar high. Many of the vital players on this team had decent chances, but none resulted in a goal, obviously. Everyone will be fast to blame Elvis Merzlikins, but he had a solid game and he saved this team from being down in a deeper goal hole than they already were after period one. This team needs to dig deep because the playoff race is too close to drop games now more than ever. The Ottawa Senators are winning against the Boston Bruins 5-3 with little time left in the third period. If the Senators win, they will have five points on us. The Rangers are currently beating us 1-0 at the Minnesota Wild. That game is in the middle period, so there is time for the Wild to help us out with a win. If they can't, though, and the Rangers win tonight, we will each have 70 points, and they are our next game at Nationwide Saturday at 7:00 p.m. I know I'm normally an uplifting person and I prefer to be. Although there were chances in this game tonight, a 4-0 loss at home where we've been solid nearly all season is not good and needs to be addressed. This team has come too far to let up now. I believe in this Jackets team, I always will after what we've seen this season, and I'll leave you with this: The last time were were shut out, 3-0 in Florida against the Panthers, we won 7-3 in New York against the Rangers two days later. Let's hope for history to repeat itself, eh, 5th Line? 

Go CBJ!