Toronto Maple Leafs @ Columbus Blue Jackets: Season 26 Game 8 Recap

Last night, the Toronto Maple Leafs played at home against a young San Jose Sharks team at home and won 3-1. The Toronto Maple Leafs then traveled to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets on a back-to-back. I had high expectations for tonight, given we last played Saturday night. Yes, it was at the Minnesota Wild, but we had a two-day break between games, whereas the Leafs just played last night. Unfortunately, my hopes were not granted. 

Period 1 started out amazing for the home team. Jake Christiansen scored just 2:38 into the game, putting us up 1-0! This was his first goal of the season. Dimitri Voronkov would add his second assist of the season on the primary, while Valeri Nichushkin would add his third assist this season on the secondary. I can't lie, watching Kirill Marchenko take some boo's from fans, and a few hits from his former Blue Jackets teammates in his return to Columbus was funny. That is, until he scored at 8:16 and tied the game with goal number five of his season. Auston Matthews would add his tenth assist this season on the primary, while William Nylander would add his ninth assist to his season on the secondary. Kirill's goal would come on the power play, too, as Dimitri Voronkov sat in the box for slashing Easton Cowan. It would appear as if Kent Johnson scored in the final second of the period, but it was determined the puck crossed the Leafs ' goal line after the horn, so the goal didn't count. The score would be tied 1-1 after period 1. The shots on goal this period were even, 10-10. 

Period 2 would be where the team lost this game. I know I'm being blunt, but let me explain. The Blue Jackets would lead in shots on goal this period, 13-9, but the Leafs would score four unanswered goals, going up 5-1. The first goal would add to William Nylander's night. His fifth goal of the season would come at 2:26. Morgan Rielly would add his fifth assist to his season on the primary, while Colton Sissons would add his third assist this season on the secondary. Their captain, Auston Matthews, would add his eighth goal this season at 3:12. Former Blue Jacket Jack Roslovic would add his fourth assist this season on the primary, while Easton Cowan would add his second assist of the night, fifth this season, on the secondary. Easton Cowan would then add a shorthanded goal on our power play at 6:48. Oliver Ekman-Larsson would add his first assist of the season with the only assist on this goal. Then, Jack Roslovic would get in on the goal-getting, adding his fourth goal this season at 12:03. Morgan Rielly would add another assist, his sixth this season, on the primary, while Easton Cowan would add his fourth point tonight with his sixth assist this season on the secondary. At the end of the period, Erik Gudbranson and Leafs Zack MacEwen would get into a fight. Erik Gudbranson would get a 5-minute major for fighting, while Zach MacEwen would get a 5-minute penalty for fighting and a 10-minute game misconduct. At this point, the damage was done for the home team, though. It's also worth noting that something rare happened at 7:57 of this period: Jet Greaves was pulled for Cam Talbot. Both goalies are good, but it's shocking to see Jet have a bad game. I don't know what the issue is in period 2, but this team needs to figure it out before this season goes further. 

Period 3 would have one more goal for the Blue Jackets, and it would belong to Charlie Coyle at 4:13. The man has had six assists so far this season, but tonight, he adds his first goal. Cole Sillingeer adds his third assist this season on the primary, while E Andree adds his second assist this season on the secondary. This would be the only extra goal for the Blue Jackets. The Leafs would also match it at 16:58. This was not an empty-net goal. It was scored by Marshall Rifal, and it would be his first goal of the season. Morgan Rielly would add yet another point to his night, his seventh assist of the season on the primary, while Jack Roslovic would also add yet another point to his night, his fifth assist this season, on the secondary. The final: 6-2, Leafs. We led shots on goal 14-3 in this final period. 

Jack Roslovic gets the Third Star of the Game, 1-2-3 night. Auston Matthews gets the Second Star of the Game, 1-1-2 night. Easton Cowan gets the First Star of the Game, 1-2-3. 

The Blue Jackets don't play again until Saturday night. We host the Vegas Golden Knights at Nationwide Arena with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. It's an 84-game season, but this will already be game 9. I don't want to see this team asking, 'What if?' in April. Period 2 needs to be addressed. The fact that we had 6 power-play chances and didn't convert any of them needs to be addressed. This team needs to play the full 60 minutes needs to be addressed. This team needs to find who they are before they lose another season, and more players, trying to find it. 

Go CBJ!        


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