Columbus Blue Jackets @ Toronto Maple Leafs: Season 25 Game 21

The opening period tonight for the Blue Jackets would have its highs and lows. The high point was that the Maple Leafs had two power play chances, and the Blue Jackets and Jet Greaves created a brick wall, allowing no goals on either power play and throughout the period. The lows were that they only had 4 shots on goal compared to the Maple Leafs' 12, and that we had a power play chance where the visiting team didn't accomplish anything. In the end, the first period would end as it began, 0-0. 

Period 2, we'd see the Blue Jackets come alive. At 3:17, Dimitri Voronkov would angle a shot from Adam Fantilli into the home net for goal nine of his season! Of course, the primary assist would become number eight of Adam Fantilli's season, while Zach Werenski continues adding to his Blue Jackets point total, adding assist number eleven to his season on the secondary. Then, at 12:01, one of our native Toronto boys who's had amazing luck at home would elevate the Blue Jackets' lead to 2-0. It's no surprise that the player would be Adam Fantilli, and this would mark goal number seven of his season!  Adam Fantilli would ride a 1-1-2 night at this point. Another player who'd have a 1-1-2 night after this goal would be Dimitri Voronkov, after picking up the primary assist on Adam Fantilli's goal, and Zach Werenski, picking up assist number two of his night (0-2-2), would add the secondary assist to his season total, now twelve. The Maple Leafs don't give up, and before the period ended at 14:12, Dakota Mermis's first goal this season would take us to a 2-1 game. The only assist on the Maple Leafs' first goal would become number fifteen of John Tavares' season. The period would conclude with the 2-1 Blue Jackets lead, and their shots on net would improve, leading the period 10-8.   

Unfortunately, the Maple Leafs would come into Period 3 looking to tie the game, and they'd do so quickly. The Blue Jackets would get a second crack at the power play in the second half of the third period, and although there were shots on this power play, there would be none of what the Blue Jackets needed most: a goal. Jet Greaves would then find himself under fire, but he'd dismiss every puck thrown his way with just a little over five minutes to go. The Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs would both get a point, and our 2-2 tie would take us to overtime. The Blue Jackets would again lead in shots, 12-8 in this period. 

With seconds left in the five-minute bonus hockey period, Adam Fantilli would slap that puck to the back of the home net for the second time tonight! His eighth goal of the season at 4:21 would give the Blue Jackets a 3-2 overtime win and a second point on the road tonight in his hometown! The only assist on this goal would go to Zach Weerenski, who finished with an assist on every goal in this game! This is his thirteenth assist of the season, too! The final shots on goal for this overtime period would be 4-1 in favour of our Blue Jackets! Woo-hoo, 5th Line!

Dimitri Voronkov skated away with the Third Star of the Game with a 1-1-2 night. 

John Tavares would get the Second Star of the Game with a 1-1-2 night as well. 

Adam Fantilli, with his 2-1-3 night, including the game-winning goal in overtime, captures the First Star of the Game! 

Honourable mention, Zach Werenski, with his 0-3-3 night, scoring an assist on all three goals the Blue Jackets scored. Bonus honourable mention, Jet Greaves, who stopped 27 of the Maple Leafs' 29 shots on his net, finishing with a .931 save percentage! 

Our next game will be on Saturday at the Detroit Red Wings. The puck will drop at 1:00 p.m., and I will be working, so I won't be able to do a recap. That said, I'm rooting for this team to get more goals and points in my absence! I will be back on Monday night as we face off against the Washington Capitals in Washington at 7:00 p.m.

GO CBJ!