Boston Bruins @ Columbus Blue Jackets: Season 25 4/12/26 Game Recap

The Blue Jackeets come home for their last two games of the season. Tonight, the first, is our night. Happy 5th Line Night, Blue Jackets fans! With former Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo in net for the Bruins and Jet Greaves in our net, the puck would drop at 6:00 p.m. The 2 points on the line for the game tonight would keep our Blue Jackets in the playoff hunt, while the Bruins punched their ticket last night in the Wild Card 1 spot. Without a win tonight, it would be nearly impossible for us to take the Philadelphia Flyers 3rd spot in the Metropolitan Division. They have 94 points. We have 92. It's put up or shut up time, and this is how tonight went. 

Mason Marchment would make the cannon go to work early in Period 1, adding goal number nineteen to his season at 3:50! Dante Fabbro would add his sixth assist this season on the primary, while our captain, Boone Jenner, would add assist twenty-five to his season on the secondary. But, of course, the fact that the Bruins are in the playoffs doesn't mean they're going to take it easy on us. Former Blue Jacket, Sean Kuraly, would add his sixth goal of the season at 10:31. Mark Kastello would add his tenth assist this season on the primary, while Henri Jokiharju would add his thirteenth assist this season on the secondary. The period would conclude with just those two goals, leaving us at 1-1. Shots on goal would heavily favor our Blue Jackets, 14-3.

Period 2 would have just one goal, and it would see Bruins Henri Jokiharju adding his second goal this season to his thirteenth assist in Period 1. This would also give the Bruins their first lead of the night. Sean Kuraly would add his thirteenth assist to his sixth goal in Period 2, while James Hagens would score his first assist of the season on the secondary. They would carry that 2-1 lead into the final period of regulation. The shots on goal would be tied this period, 11-11. 

Adam Fantilli would explode out of the locker room, scoring his twenty-fourth goal this season at 1:27! Danton Heinen, who's been playing very well since returning to the lineup, would have the only assist on this goal, his fifth this season. Unfortunately, the Bruins would retake their lead at 10:22 with a goal from Mark Kastello, giving himself a 1-1-2 night. Sean Kurally would add his second assist tonight, his third point overall, with assist number fourteen of his season on the primary. Jordan Harris would add his second assist on the secondary. The Blue Jackets would push and not give the Bruins an inch as they tried to tie this game, again. In the final seconds, Mason Marchment would be hit with a high stick, but nothing would come of it. The Blue Jackets lose 3-2. 

Our Blue Jackets are not eliminated yet. That said, a lot more has to happen for us to get into the playoffs. The Flyers would have to lose to the Carolina Hurricanes at home, then the Montreal Canadians on the road. Those two teams are already playoff-bound and loaded with talent. We would also have to beat the Washington Capitals at home on Tuesday night. All of this would have to happen in regulation as well. So, we're not out, but the stars have to align, and those stars are getting dim.  

Adam Fantilli gets the Third Star of the Game for his tying goal in Period 2. 

Joonas Korpisalo, the Bruins' goaltender, gets the Second Star of the Game. He had a .943 save percentage after stopping 33 of our Blue Jackets' 35 shots on his net.

Sean Kuraly would get the First Star of the Game after a goal and two assists tonight.  

Our Blue Jackets will wrap up their 25th Anniversary Season on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals at 7:00 p.m. You can watch this game on ESPN as it could be a monumental moment in NHL History. Alexander Ovechkin, who currently holds the record for most NHL goals scored in the history of the league, is not currently signed to a new contract. He will be 41 years old next season, should he sign a new contract with the Washington Capitals. He was celebrated, along with his rivalry with Sidney Crosby, during the Penguins-Capitals home-and-home series this weekend after admitting he'd make his decision about retirement this summer with his family. So, Tuesday night in Nationwide Arena could be the final game in his NHL Career. So, even if our Blue Jackets are eliminated before then, tune in to support your home team, but also witness some NHL history. 

Playoff Picture:

Tonight, another team chasing us was eliminated. The New York Islanders lost a game they had to win to keep chasing the Flyers and us. The Montreal Canadians took their home loss last night to us (5-2) on them, beating the Islanders 4-1. The Flyers with 94 points, Capitals with 93, and ourselves with 92 points, are the only teams still alive and battling for that 3rd spot in the Metropolitan Division, and final playoff spot in the East. 

Go CBJ!    


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