Columbus Blue Jackets @ New York Islanders: Season 25 Game 12

The Columbus Blue Jackets would go into their first road game of the next five looking for their fifth win in a row. After last night's thrilling 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues in regulation, the visiting Blue Jackets would have a rough first period. They'd have 3 shots on goal compared to the Islanders' 18. The islanders would also be the only team to score a goal in this opening period. At 5:53, with Damon Severson serving 2 minutes for a cross-check to the Islanders' Jonathan Drouin, Mathew Schaefer would make the fourth goal of his season a power play. Thankfully, the Blue Jackets would hold the Islanders to that 1-0 lead, and Period 2 would go their way. 

The Blue Jackets would win the middle period. They'd have more shots on goal, 14 compared to 10 for the Islanders, and find the tying goal at 15:21! Miles Wood would add goal number four to his season, and it's great to see him return so strong after that stick to the face a few weeks back. Adam Fantilli would add assist number four to his season with the primary, while Boone Jenner would add assist number five on the secondary. So, we'd head into Period 3 with a 1-1 game. 

At 12:10, Denton Mateychuk would add goal number three to his season, giving the Blue Jackets their first lead of the evening! Kirill Marchenko would add yet another assist, his seventh this season on the primary, while Sean Monahan would add assist number five to his season on the secondary. It would look as if the Blue Jackets would be heading toward a narrow win, but the Islanders would score by way of Anders Lee at 18:53. The only assist would go to Mathew Schaefer; it would become his sixth this season. Then, the unthinkable would happen. The Islanders would gain possession of the puck in the final minute of the game, and when shooting for any way to break the 2-2 tie in regulation, S Holmstrom would art 19:22. He'd get his fourth goal this season after shooting on a rebound from Elvis Merzlikins. Anders Lee would add his seventh assist this season on the primary, while J Pageau would add his fourth on the secondary. With seconds left in the game, the Blue Jackets would pull Elvis from the visitor's net for a bonus player on the ice, but their four-game win streak would fall in Newyork tonight as the Islanders would win 3-2. 

This loss stings, but every team has a few of these a year, and any team that says they don't is lying. Elvis Merzlikins had a strong night as he'd come away with a .923 save percentage. He acquired this when stopping 36 of the 39 shots the Islanders threw his way. Further, his numbers tonight would gain him the Third Star of the Game, the only Star of the Game for a Blue Jacket tonight.  

The other Two Stars of the game went to Simon Holmstrom, Second Star, as he had one goal, the game winner, at 19:22 in Period 3. The First Star of the Game went to Mathew Schaefer, who had the other two goals for the Islanders this evening. 

The good thing is that the Blue Jackets will have some time to regroup as they travel to Calgary. They will face off with the Flames on Wednesday in a late game. The puck is set to drop at 9:30 p.m. 

Go CBJ!  






 

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