The CBJ Writer

Tonight, our Blue Jackets look to close out March with a bang. Well, hopefully more than one, but you get my point, 5th Line. Every game is a must-win as we sit in Wildcard 2 with the potential to jump higher in the standings, but only if we keep getting points.  Tonight's opening period wouldn't be the best for the Blue Jackets. The Hurricanes' Shayne Gostisbehere would add goal thirteen to his season 13:29 into the game, giving his road team a 1-0 lead. Further, this goal would be scored on the power play as Dante Fabbro sat in the box for 2 minutes after he slashed Alexander Nikishin. Nikola Ehlers would add his thirty-ninth assist this season on the primary, while Andrei Svechnikov would add his thirty-seventh assist of his season on the secondary. It wouldn't be long before the Blue Jackets would, unfortunately, find themselves on the penalty kill again, this time with Kent Johnson in the box for high-sticking Hurricanes' Taylor Hall. The situation would yield ...

Last night's loss was disappointing; there's no other way to say it. The San Jose Sharks came back to tie the game, then won with 1:25 to play, stung. The good news is that we are still in a playoff spot going into our home game tonight against the Bruins.  Our Blue Jackets would come out renewed and ready to put last night in the past where it belongs. Camptain Boone Jenner would make the cannon bang at 6:17 with goal eleven of his season! Conor Garland would add his twenty-first assist to his season total with the only assist on the Blue Jackets' first goal tonight. This goal would be followed by a second tip-in goal at 7:45 from Mason Marchment, marking goal eighteen of his season! Ivan Provorov gets his twenty-first assist this season on the primary, while Kirill Marchenko adds his thirty-fifth assist on the secondary. Then, we'd have a fight between Erik Gudbranson of our Blue Jackets and Tanner Jeannot of the Bruins at 17:35! Both men would get five-minute majors ...

So, I was still at work for most of Period 1. That said, congratulations to Denton Mateychuk, who scored just 00:31 into the game! This was goal twelve of his season, and it would also give Adam Fantilli his thirty-third assist this season. Of course, the Sharks are going to put up a fight. They would match that goal at 17:17, thanks to goal four of Igor Chernyshov's season. There would be just one assist on this goal as well, and it would go to Will Smith, giving him twenty-seven so far this season. The shots on goal in this opening period would be close, 9-8 in favor of our Blue Jackets.  There would be only one goal in the second period, and it would give our Blue Jackets back their one-goal lead! Cole Sillinger would add his eighth goal this season at 12:09! Ivan Provorov would have thee only assist on this goal, giving him his twentieth this season. The Blue Jackets would lead 2-1 at the end of this period, but the Sharks were in control of this period, winning shots on goal 1...

 A win tonight was important for both teams. This was imminent throughout the game as both teams played as if it were a playoff game. Given the standings, it basically is. Period 1 would see a goal for each team. The Canadians' Jayden Struble would score the first goal of the game, and the first goal of his season, at 9:54. Zachary Bolduc added his seventeenth assist this season on the primary, while Lane Hutson added his fifty-ninth assist this season on the secondary. Damon Severson would match that goal with his eighth this season at 12:17! Our Captain, Boone Jenner, would add his twenty-third assist this season on the primary, while Isac Lundestrom added his seventh assist this season on the secondary. Although the score would be tied, the Blue Jackets would dominate shots on goal this period, 13-6.   Period 2 would have a lot of action, but it would lack the most important thing in hockey: Goals. Yep, the score would remain 1-1 after forty minutes were in the books. ...

Period 1 tonight wouldn't be the best for our Columbus Blue Jackets. The Flyers would dominate in shots on goal for the period, 10-3. The Flyers would also get awarded a penalty shot about halfway through the opening period, but Jet Greaves did his job by stopping it, keeping this game 0-0. Unfortunately, a rebound would come off Jet Greaves and give Flyers Sean Couturier his eighth this season at 17:07. Luke Glendening would come away with his sixth assist this season on the primary, while Rasmus Ristolainen would add his eighth assist this season on the secondary. The opening period tonight would close with that 1-0 Flyers lead. But don't worry, 5th Line, the Blue Jackets would find their mojo in Period 2.  00:44 into the middle period, Mathieu Olivier would tie this game at 1-1 with goal number fifteen of his season! It's great to see one of the team's main enforcers do as well in scoring as he did last season! Speaking of doing well this season, Zach Werenski picks ...

Let's set the table before we get to the main course tonight, 5th Line. Last night, both of these teams played. The Columbus Blue Jackets won big at home over the Seattle Kraken, 5-2. On the other hand, the New York Islanders didn't have the best night. They lost at the Montreal Canadians, 7-3. The Blue Jackets and Islanders both had to travel to New York for tonight's game. These teams sit just 2 points apart. The Blue Jackets have 85 points and sit in 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders once held our spot until we beat the Rangers last Thursday at home, 6-3. The New York Islanders sit just outside of the playoffs with 83 points. Yes, this division and the Eastern Conference as a whole are that close, and I don't see that changing for the rest of the regular season! All of these teams, both in and outside the playoffs, are playing some amazing, tight hockey. Tonight's game between our Blue Jackets and the Islanders would follow that trend.  Bo Hor...

With tonight's game being earlier, I did miss a fair bit of it. Sorry, 5th Line. We will pick up with my typical blog in Period 3. That said, this is how the scoring worked out for both teams by period up to that point.  Period 1: Columbus Blue Jackets lead 3-1 after the opening period. This is how. Columbus Blue Jackets Scoring: Denton Heinen: 1-0-1 His goal was scored at 2:48  Boone Jenner: 0-1-1. His assist came on Denton Heinen's goal. This is his twenty-second this season.  Zach Werenski: 0-3-3. Zach had an assist on every Blue Jackets goal this period. These are his Fifty-third, fifty-fourth, and fifty-fifth this season. He sits at 75 points after this period.  Damon Severson: 1-0-1. He had the Blue Jackets' second goal of this game at 8:58.  Cole Sillinger: 0-2-2. He had his twenty-fourth assist on Damon Severson's goal and his twenty-fifth on Mathieu Olivier's goal.  Mathieu Olivier: 1-0-1. He had the Blue Jackets' third goal tonight at 15:16. ...

After a dominant win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, 5-1, the Blue Jackets would look to continue their push for points and a playoff spot . Tonight, the Blue Jackets wouldn't have the best start. Rangers ' Tye Kartye would high-stick Blue Jackets' Mason Marchment just 4:53 into the game. A goal would come out of this power play , but it wouldn't belong to the Blue Jackets. Rangers' Vincent Trocheck would add his fifteenth goal this season, giving his team an early 1-0 road lead, thanks to his shorthanded goal at 5:41. This goal would have no assists . The Blue Jackets would break through with their first goal tonight at 14:33, and it would become the fourth this season for Isac Lundestrom . Now, the NHL changed the assists on this goal around Period 3. After said update, this goal would have only one assist, going to our Captain, Boone Jenner, for his twenty-first this season. Then, seconds left in the opening period, Conor Garland would shoot a puc...

The Carolina Hurricanes sat in 1st in the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. In contrast, the Columbus Blue Jackets, at the start of this game, were just 1 point out of the 1st or 2nd Eastern Division Wildcard with 79 points. The Blue Jackets had more to gain tonight from the 2 points on the line, but even atop the division, the Hurricanes had plenty of reason to fight for those season-changing points, too. I have every faith in our Blue Jackets, but I can't lie, I was nervous about this game. Let me tell you, those concerns of mine disappeared faster than Ohio's spring weather this past weekend!  Early into the game, at 4:23, Hurricanes' Seth Jarvis would go to the penalty box for 4 minutes after high-sticking Zach Werenski. Thankfully, #8 would be okay and continue to play. Bonus: Mason Marchment would score goal sixteen of his season, putting us up 1-0, at 5:25! Charlie Coyle continues collecting assists with his thirty-sixth this season on the primary, and Adam Fanti...

Don't let the shots on goal fool you; this was a tight, exciting game with no brotherly love to be found on the ice! 4:21 into the game, Kirill Marchenko would gain his twenty-fifth goal of the season, giving us a 1-0 lead! Adam Fantilli adds his twenty-eighth assist this season on the primary, while Damon Severson adds his twenty-second with the secondary. A few minutes later, at 10:24, Alex Bump would shoot the puck so hard into our net that it would jump out before the buzzer could go off, but it did go in for his second goal of the season. The tying goal would give Emil Andrae his eleventh assist this season on the primary, and Christian Dvorak adds his twenty-sixth assist this season on the secondary. Each team would continue to have good chances to score, but just that, good chances. The period would end with a 1-1 tie between the Flyers and Blue Jackets, but the Blue Jackets would lead shots on goal in this opening period, 13-6.   Period 2 would end with the same 1-1 ti...

This game was tight to the end and beyond. Period 1 would end with a 0-0 draw. The Blue Jackets would dominate shots on goal, 14-3. Let me make this clear, especially when it comes to Kent Johnson: if not for former Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, we'd have been up by at least a few goals!   It would take until 13:01 into Period 2 for a goal to be scored. Adam Fantilli finally beat Sergei Bobrovsky as the Blue Jackets blocked a puck sent toward Elvis Merzlikins, then redirected it for a three-on-one charge down the ice! This was goal number nineteen of Adam Fantilli's season, and it would yield only one assist, Mason Marchment's eighteenth this season. The middle period would conclude with a 1-0 Blue Jackets lead, but also a holding penalty against the Blue Jackets' Damon Severson, putting him in the box for two minutes at the start of Period 3. Shots on goal this period would again be led by the Blue Jackets, but by a smaller margin, 10-7. 1:28 into Period 3 ...

 It's a quick turnaround, 5th Line, as the Blue Jackets played a makeup game from the January snowstorm at home yesterday against the L.A. Kings, then hopped on a flight to Tampa Bay to play the Lightning tonight! I must say, the Blue Jackets have vastly improved their play in back-to-back games this season, and you'll see why soon. Period 1 would prove that this would be an exciting game full of energy and skill. The Blue Jackets and Lightning would be nipping at each other's skates from puck drop on. The Blue Jackets would lead shots on goal this opening period, 9-4. Still, the Lightning would have the first goal of the game at 13:38. This goal would become the eighth this season for Gage Goncalves. Victor Hedman comes away with his ffifteenth assist this season on the primary. The unreal Nikita Kucherov would add his seventieth assist this season on the secondary. Towards the end of this period, Cole Sillinger would hold his own in a fight with Lightning's J.J. Moser...

Hello, 5th Line! So, I missed the first two periods of hockey this afternoon due to work. That said, I will backtrack to congratulate our newest Blue Jacket, Connor Garland, on his first two goals with our franchise! I was excited when we picked him up, and knew he'd be a good fit here.  Period 3 would have several good chances for the Blue Jackets to break the 3-3 tie, but the Kinga goaltender, Anton Forsberg, would continue to show off in his visitors' net.  Then, at 10:07, Brian Dumoulin would add goal number two to his season. Mikey Anderson would come away with his ninth assist this season on the primary, while Scott Laughton would come away with his fifth assist this season on the secondary. But, with the minutes ticking down, Scott Laughton would take a costly penalty for interference against Mason Marchment at 16:43, and Kirill Marchenko's twenty-third goal of the season would follow at 18:04! Zach Werenski adds yet another assist to his season, number forty-six, wi...

 So, I had a chance to see family I hadn't seen in years and missed the first two periods of tonight's game. I came in when the Mammoth and Blue Jackets were tied 2-2. That said, I think I saw the best period of the night! The Mammoth would score two goals early in Period 3. The first would belong to Alexander Kerfoot at 3:00, and this would become his second goal this season. Michael Carcome would add his eleventh assist on the primary, while MacKenzie Weeger would add his nineteenth on the secondary. Then, at 4:54, the Mammoth would have its largest lead of the night after Logan Cooley added his tenth goal of the season. Lawson Crouse gets his sixteenth assist this season on the primary, while Ian Cole gets his fiftieth assist this season on the secondary. Now, if you left Nationwide Arena with the Blue Jackets down 4-2 on a Saturday night after the revitalization this team has had since hiring Rick Bowness, that's your fault! At 13:38, Adam Fantilli would pick up his eig...

Did you go to bed yet, 5th Line? Finally, being a night owl pays off on NHL Trade Deadline Day! As of 12:20 a.m., we have a new Blue Jacket! The Vancouver Canucks have accepted two draft picks from Columbus, a third-round pick this year (2026) and a second-round pick (2028), for Conor Garland!  The 29-year-old, who turns 30 next week, has appeared in 50 games for the Canucks. In that time, he's scored seven goals and nineteen assists for twenty-six points. Not bad at all. From 2018-2021, Conor Garland was with the team that drafted him in round 2 in 2015, the Arizona Coyotes. From 2021 to now, he's been in Vancouver with the Canucks. In that time, he's appeared in 535 NHL games, scoring 129 goals and 188 assists for 317 points.  It's no secret that the Vancouver Canucks would be looking to sell during this year's trade deadline. They haven't had the best season. I know I said in a post, literally two hours ago, that I didn't think we needed to add. That said...

So, a few days ago, I wrote a blog post that I hoped wouldn't hold up. I think my hopes have been realized. In that post, I centered on how our captain, Boone Jenner, had been listed as out against the Nashville Predators under 'maintenance'. I got an uneasy feeling this could result in a trade due to the timing and the reason he wouldn't play. Tonight, he not only played against the Florida Panthers but also had the game-winning goal. So, although anything can still happen, I feel less anxious about Boone leading us tomorrow before the NHL Trade Deadline at 3:00 p.m. So, with that said, what would I do if I were Don Waddell?  Nothing.  You read that right, 5th Line, I wouldn't touch this team. I say this for two main reasons. First, our best player and defenseman, Zach Werenski, has been out ill for the last three games. This team has rallied without him to win once in overtime and twice in regulation in those three games. Further, the first game they won without h...

 Tonight, the Blue Jackets were at home and showed the control we saw before the Olympic Break. Impressive considering Zach Werenski missed another game due to Illness, and I hope he feels better soon. Further, our D-Line would take another hit as Dante Fabbro was announced out minutes before puck drop with a lower-body injury. I wish both men well and hope to see them back on the ice soon!  Now, the Florida Panthers haven't looked great recently. That said, as someone who played sports herself, you never underestimate an opponent, no matter how bad their playing. You don't want to be the team that relaxes and gives an underperforming team its mojo back. Adding emphasis to this point, both of these teams are fighting for playoff hopes, and this team has won it all the last two seasons. So, best believe they'll bring it, and they did, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's recap some hockey, 5th Line!   The Blue Jackets would have the only goal in Period 1. It would ...

Last night was a nailbiter in Madison Square Garden. 61:06 of hockey allowed the Blue Jackets to win 5-4 in a game they led 4-0 with 20 minutes left in the game. They got their much-needed two points, but it was a quick turnaround with no time to celebrate as they flew home to face Nashville tonight. Both teams were coming off a game, with the Nashville Predators losing at home last night to the Detroit Red Wings, 4-2. Each team is trying to fight its way to a playoff spot, so tonight promised to be a good game, and it was!  The first goal tonight was scored by the same Blue Jacket who scored the first goal in New York last night. Adam Fantilli adds goal number seventeen to his season at 14:23. and he's getting hot! The goal gives Kirill Marchenko his twenty-ninth assist this season on the primary, while the secondary goes to Mason Marchment, becoming his sixteenth assist this season. The Blue Jackets nearly escaped the opening period with a 1-0 lead, but Mason Marchment would go t...

I'll start out by saying what I normally do the first week of March every season: Unless under special circumstances, I only allow myself to speculate one week a year, and that is NHL Trade Deadline Week.  I could be wrong, and I only have information avalible to the public. I am not an insider, and I've never claimed to be. That said, something has happened tonight that gives me a gut feeling our General Manager, Don Waddell, could be up to something. What I am about to lay out is either a coincidence or a fact, and only time will tell. Here are my thoughts. Let me make this very clear: I have multiple reasons to love each of our players. So, what I'm about to say comes from a business standpoint only. Kent Johnson had been a healthy scratch for the last two games. He's a young player with decent numbers, which could be an asset to any of the other 31 NHL teams. I firmly believed that he'd be leaving us, and, if he did, I would of course wish him nothing but the be...

Welcome to March, 5th Line! Tonight, Zach Werenski would be ruled out citing illness. So, without their best defenseman, the Blue Jackets would go to work on the road. Last season, Adam Fantilli got hot toward the end, including a hat-trick in Madison Square Garden. Tonight, his sixteenth goal of this season would be the first on the board at 5:50! Kirill Marchenko adds his twenty-eighth assist this season on the primary, while Denton Mateychuk adds his fourteenth assist with the secondary. The Blue Jackets would then close out the opening period by doubling up the Rangers at 15:32 after Rangers' Gabe Perreault was sent to the box for unsportsmanlike conduct. Ouch. Kirill Marchenko scored his second Blue Jackets goal tonight, making his twenty-first goal this season a power play goal! Defenseman Ivan Provorov gets his fifteenth assist this season on the primary, while the birthday boy, Charlie Coyle, gets his twenty-ninth assist this season on the secondary. The Blue Jackets domina...