Columbus Blue Jackets @ Pittsburgh Penguins: Season 25 Game 8

 This game had everything you'd expect when rivals meet. At just 00:59 into the game, Ryan Shea would launch the puck behind Elvis Merzlikins' visitors' net, scoring for the Penguins. Anthony Mantha and Parker Wotherspoon would each add assist number four to their season on teammate Ryan Shea's goal. The Penguins and Blue Jackets would take turns shooting on both goalies, but the Penguins would consistently run over and knock the Blue Jackets to the ice. At 11:45, after Penguins' Mathew Dumba did so to Boone Jenner, the Blue Jackets Captain decided he was done with the legal but cheap hits, and the two dropped gloves! Both men would get five minutes each for fighting, but nothing more. At 15:44, Charlie Coyle would score his first goal since joining the Columbus franchise through a trade in March! To make matters better, this marks Charlie Coyle's 300th NHL point; congratulations to him! Dante Fabbro adds his first assist this season after picking up the primary assist, while Cole Sillinger adds his second on the secondary assist. Now, the Penguins would challenge Charlie Coyle's goal, citing that they saw goaltender interference on Arturs Silovs, but Toronto wouldn't agree, and the Blue Jackets would keep their tying goal! Now, unfortunately, the Penguins would net a second goal in the opening period, getting back their lead. This goal would be credited to Penguins' Anthony Mantha, giving him his fourth this season. The primary assist would be the eleventh assist this season for Evgeni Malkin, while the secondary assist would be number four this season for Justin Brazeau. This goal at 18:01 would be the last of the first period, bringing us to a 2-1 Penguins lead.   

Period 2 would have just one goal that would count, and it would belong to the visiting Blue Jackets! At the end of the period, at 17:39, Dimitri Voronkov would add his fourth goal, which was undoubtedly a good goal! There was just one assist on this goal, and it would become the second this season for Kent Johnson. So, an exciting Period 3 would lie ahead with a 2-2 rivalry tie!  

Yegor Chinakov, at 1:55 with his first goal this season, would give the Blue Jackets their first lead in this road game! Zach Aston-Reese would gain his 100th point in the NHL after adding his third assist this season with the primary assist on Yegor Chinakov's goal. In addition, this goal would have a secondary assist, and it would become the first this season and of his NHL Career; congratulations, Isac Lundestrom! It was a huge night for milestones for the Blue Jackets, and they weren't done yet, either! Dimitri Voronkov would add his second goal of the game, his fifth this season, at 4:54! Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko would each add their third assists this season on Dimitri Voronkov's second goal of the evening. Scoring would halt for a moment here, and after, let me assure you, Elvis Merzlikins held and protected that visitor's net like the seasoned goalie we all know and love. He even managed to do so after the Penguins would have a power play at both 10:18, due to Boone Jenner's high-sticking. But, with seconds left in a second penalty against Cole Sillinger at 13:92 for hooking, Kris Latang would get a power play goal at 14:54. Tonny Novak would add assist three to his season on the primary, while Penguins Goalie, Arturs Silova, would add his first this season on the secondary. Then, in Penguins fashion, they'd find a way. Brian Rust would find his first goal of the season, tying the game again at 4-4 at 16:54. Evgeni Malkin would add assist two tonight, twelfth of his season, on the primary, while Kris Latang would add his fourth on the secondary. The best part about this tie is that no one would break it, and we'd get at least a point for our efforts tonight ahead of overtime, and fighting for the second.

I'll tell you what, overtime lit a fire under everyone's butt that took the ice, it didn't matter what team you played for! Further, our Elvis Merzlikins and the Penguins' Arturs Silova were making saves left, right, backward, and center. No, I'm not exaggerating. This is why we'd need the first shootout of the Blue Jackets' season after the five minutes of overtime still yielded no winner! For the sake of saying so, the Blue Jackets would end with 40 shots on Silova's net, while the Penguins would have 28 shots on Merzlikins' net. 

Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli would both score in rounds one and two of the shootout, but the Penguins would match those shots. Kirill Marchenko would score in round three, and Kris Latang wouldn't be denied by Elvis Merzlikins. That's a huge two points, on the road, as we win against our rival Pittsburgh Penguins! The final was a Blue Jackets shootout win, 5-4!

With Elvis Merzlikins' third win this season, number 233rd of his Columbus Blue Jackets career, he now becomes the second most winning goaltender in our franchise's history! He'd finish this game with a .857 save percentage after stopping 24 out of the 28 shots the Penguins got to his visitor's net. It isn't his best, but tonight, it was enough. 

The Third Star of the Game tonight would go to Kirill Marchenko. He had a 0-1-1 night during the game, but also scored the winning shootout goal in round three!

Kris Latang of the Penguins would get the Second Star of the Game with his 1-1-2 night. 

Dimitri Voronkov would capture the First Star of the Game with a huge two goals, going 2-0-2! 

For me, the most impressive thing about tonight is how the Blue Jackets lost at home 5-1 against the Capitals, got on a plane to Pittsburgh, and won in a shootout 5-4 against the Penguins. This is a heated rivalry, but also, the Penguins are an experienced team. They even blew a 4-2 lead, and still pushed to win the game in overtime and the shootout. I know tonight had some bums along the way, but I'm impressed at our resiliency, 5th Line!  

The Blue Jackets will have a nice break before another back-to-back begins. They'll fly to Buffalo and face off with the Sabers at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday evening. 

GO CBJ!