Columbus Blue Jackets @ Buffalo Sabers: 2025 Preseason Game 3

After a shutout at home, even in the preseason, there's only one way to go, and that's up. Learn from the mistakes made by fellow teammates and improve. It sounds simple, but if that were the case, winners and losers wouldn't exist, and there wouldn't be a push to constantly improve. Tonight, I'm thrilled to say that, although at times you might question it, the Blue Jackets did pack the offense last night when leaving Columbus for Buffalo. Period 1 would end with a 0-0 tie, but the Blue Jackets had some good chances at scoring and led shots on goal 12-10. They had a chance on the power play, which didn't amount to a goal, but the Sabers had two chances on the power play, and they had no goals either. So, all in all, I'll take it for an opening period. 

Period 2 would be interesting for the Blue Jackets to say the very least. With the first shot on goal in the period for the visiting team, Miles Wood would tip a rocket shot in from Daemon Hunt, putting a huge power play goal on the board for the Blue Jackets. Daemon Hunt would pick up the primary assist on this goal at 8:37, his first of the preseason, while Hudson Fassching would add his first assist of the preseason on the secondary. The Blue Jackets would have just one other shot in the entire period to reach the net, and it wouldn't go in. Ivan Fedotov would let just one puck past him for a score, and it would happen at 17:54. That goal would become the first of the preseason for Tage Thompson, a well-known center throughout the league. Zach Benson would add his first assist of the preseason on the primary, while Josh Norris would add his first assist on the secondary. This would be the final goal of the period, leaving us tied yet again, but this time with goals at 1-1. 

Ivan Fedotov would come out of the game, allowing the backup goalie, Zach Sawchenko, to play tonight as well. He would finish with an impressive .960 save percentage thanks to his 23 stops on 24 Sabers' shot attempts. The fact that we got him from the Philadelphia Flyers for just a 6th-round pick shocks and thrills me. He's played two preseason games, and he's shown impressive skill in them.

It's worth noting that the Sabers would also swap out goalies. Allowing Alexx Lyon to come out after a .928 save percentage night. He did this by saving 13 of 14 Blue Jackets shots on his net. Devon Levi would replace him for the final regulation period. 

The last period of regulation would open with the Blue Jackets finishing their final minute on a power play. No goal would result from it, and we'd play on. At 11:54, the Blue Jackets would get stuck in their end and wouldn't escape with the game still tied, as Jason Zucker would score his first goal of the preseason. Konsta Helenius would add his first assist of the preseason on the primary, while Ryan McLeod would add his first assist of the preseason on the secondary. With just over 4 minutes left to play, the Blue Jackets would get a final attempt on the power play, but, again, no goals would come from it. The Blue Jackets would elect to pull goalie Zach Sawchenko, but a tying goal would elude the Blue Jackets. The Sabers would go on to win 2-1. 

Zach Sawchenko would finish with a .888 save percentage as he was able to stop 8 of the 9 shot attempts the Sabers put on the visitor's goal. Not a bad night for just 20 minutes. 

The Third Star of the Game was Buffalo's Zach Benson. He had the primary assist on their first goal of the game in Period 2. 

The Second Star of the Game was Buffalo's Tage Thompson. He broke the 0-0 tie in period two with his first goal this preseason.  

The First Star of the Game was Buffalo's Jason Zucker. He had the only goal in Period 3. This goal also broke the tie and gave his home team the lead, which would ultimately become the final 2-1 score. 

Our next game is at home tomorrow night. Yes, that'll be the fourth preseason game in a row, but after that, we'll have a break before the final three preseason games of 2025. Tomorrow night will be a fun one, as it always is when we face our rival Pittsburgh Penguins! We'll drop the puck at 7:00 p.m. 

Go CBJ!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ottawa Senators @ Columbus Blue Jackets: 2024-25 NHL Season Game 76

A few special moments before we begin the recap tonight. First, congratulations to Meredith Gaudreau, her children, and the extended Gaudreau family on the birth of Carter Michael Gaudreau. I sigh in relief, knowing that he is here and both mom and baby are doing well. I love seeing the photos of him with his big sister, Noa, and brother, Johnny Jr. In addition, the fact Carter was the same size and weight as his dad when born could move you to tears, it has me.  Another big moment tonight as the puck dropped; congratulations to Erik Gudbranson on game 800 of his NHL Career! He would have a point tonight, too, but I'm getting way ahead of myself!  Yes, the cannon still works at Nationwide Arena, and it got a workout tonight! After being shut out at home and on the road, back-to-back, you can only go up, and the Blue Jackets rose to the occasion out of necessity tonight. Dimitri Voronkov would add goal twenty-one to his season, giving the Blue Jackets their first goal in three ...
Read more

Zach Werenski Adds Another Achievement to His 2024-25 NHL Season

Normally, I have to share articles by the NHL because I'm usually working when this kind of news is announced, but today, I'm not! Zach Werenski is proving to doubters that this NHL Season will go down as one of the best in his career. Today, we learned of another achievement he's added to the long list of record-breaking moments, point streaks, and team-leading assists and total points. Zach Werenski, across the league, has added the Third Star of January to this list now, too. Aside from his spectacular goal last night to clench the win for his team in overtime at the Utah Hockey Club, the man has poured on the points in the first month of 2025. His total for just 31 days was six goals and eleven assists for a grand total of seventeen points. He accomplished this over the span of just fourteen games. Keep in mind he averages a little less than playing half the game in every game. The Columbus Blue Jackets have several great defensemen and young ones showing promise, but Z...
Read more

Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau: One Year in Memoriam

I've never lied to my readers, and I won't start now; I do not want to write this post. Then again, who would want to? It's been one year since we all learned the devastating news that an 'alleged' drunk driver had killed Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau while riding their bikes. Honestly, 'devastating' doesn't feel like a strong enough word for how I still feel, and how I know many of you all do, too. It had been the evening before their sister's wedding. We already knew that Matthew's wife, Madeline, was expecting their first child, a son later named Trip, but at the funeral, we'd also learn that Johnny's wife, Meredith, had been expecting their third child, another son they named Carter. The fact that both women had healthy babies amid the stress of losing their partners is nothing short of a prayer answered. The strength of these two women is incredible, as they don't just raise their combined four children without the loves of their l...
Read more