Columbus Blue Jackets @ New York Islanders: Season 25 3/22/26

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 Horvat would excite the home crowd just 1:25 into Period 1 with his twenty-ninth goal this season. Anders Lee would add his twenty-second assist this season on the primary, while former Blue Jacket Adam Boqvist would add his second assist this season on the secondary. This would be the only goal this period, leaving our Blue Jackets down 1-0 going into the middle period. The Blue Jackets would lead shots on goal this period, but only by one, 8-7. 

Period 2 wouldn't change the score at all. The shots on goal would go in favor of the home team, 9-5. Of course, the good news would be that our Blue Jackets only needed a goal to get back into the thick of this game. Also, consider this, it may be a slow game, but I'll take slow over a road blowout any night!

The third period would start out on a high note. Kirill Marchenko would take a hooking call after stopping Islanders' Simon Holmstrom on a breakaway. Not great, but what was the Blue Jackets' power-play kill. They didn't allow a single shot on Jet Greaves for the full two minutes Kirill Marchenko sat in the box. The Islanders would play keep-away, and although the Blue Jackets had a couple of good chances to tie the game, the Islanders' Bo Horvat would score what appeared to be his second goal of the night. But, did he? The Blue Jackets would challenge the goal on the grounds of goaltender interference and win! So, the score would remain 1-0 Islanders with just over 7:00 to play. After that challenge was won by our Blue Jackets, the ice would tilt. The Blue Jackets would find a spark and push more than they had all game. Unfortunately, Iily Sorokin would withstand the Blue Jackets' attack on his home net and allow his team to keep their home 1-0 lead. This would eventually become the final score as the Islanders win the final battle of the regular season with a regulation 1-0 win. For both teams playing last night and traveling, a goal less than two minutes in decides the 2 points up for grabs. The Blue Jackets would win the final shots on goal battle this period, 10-6, showing they tried their best to close the gap but ultimately came up short. The good news is that we keep our 3rd place spot in the Metropolitan Division, but there is no room for error to keep it now.

(I'll update the Stars of the Game later. I don't think they are correct in the NHL App.)

Our next chance for 2 points comes Tuesday night. The Blue Jackets will continue their short road trip as they fly from New York to Philadelphia to play the Flyers. The puck will drop at 7:00 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN+ and Hulu for those who have it. 

Also, a sad note, our point streak ends tonight at twelve games, and our win streak ends at four games tonight. So, time to start a new one as we press on!

Go CBJ!

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is There a Team Altering Trade Forming in Columbus? 3/3/2026

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...
Read more

If I Were Don Waddell, This is What I'd Do Ahead of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline

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...
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