Philadelphia Flyers At Columbus Blue Jackets Post Game
First Period: After letting the Philadelphia Flyers come back in the 3rd period and win the game Thursday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets started off tonight’s game with a fury. Legs were moving, shots were a plenty, revenge was heavy on the mind of the Jackets.
Columbus may have gotten a little too excited, however, because the first penalty was against the Blue Jackets. Luckily, they were able to kill off the Mark Letestu holding call.
Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
A few minutes later, Columbus got on the board. Ryan Johansen put the puck top shelf on Flyers net minder Ray Emery on an odd man rush. Unfortunately Marian Gaborik, who took the initial shot in the odd man rush, was injured on the play and did not return.
The remainder of the period saw two Flyers penalties as well as two penalty kills from Columbus. The period ended with a Boone Jenner holding call but the score remaining 1-0, Columbus.
Second Period: The second period started with the remaining minutes left in the Jenner penalty. The Columbus Blue Jackets were able to kill it off, though and play continued. Only a few moments later, David Savard was making his way to the sin bin.
The Blue Jackets were, once again, able to kill off the penalty before going on a power play of their own with Mark Streit went off for hooking. Fans were standing and cheering only a few minutes later when R.J. Umberger deflected a James Wisniewski shot from just inside the blue line to make it 2-0.
Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
The next few minutes were utter chaos. Philadelphia had (yet another) power play as Jack Johnson went off for interference. Curtis McElhinney stood on his head to kill off the penalty, stopping everything that came his way. The exciting part, though, came after the power play.
Soon after the Flyers man-advantage ended, Brandon Dubinsky found the puck on his stick, rushing up ice on a 2-on-1. Deciding to shoot the puck over passing, Dubinsky fired a wrister past Emery, making it 3-0!
Or was it?
The refs waived off the goal, claiming it hit the cross bar. To make matters worse, the Flyers found their way up the ice on an odd man rush of their own. After cutting back to the middle of the ice, a Wayne Simmonds shot found its way in the back of the net, making it 2-1.
It gets worse. Only 20 seconds later, the score was tied at 2. Sean Couturier swept in the puck past McElhinney on the right side. The Columbus Blue Jackets went from being up 3-0, to being tied at 2-2. The second period ended with that score.
Third Period: After melting down and giving up 5 goals in the 3rd period against the Flyers, all eyes were on how Columbus would respond this time around. David Savard put to rest any “here we go again” thoughts when he fired a shot from the right point, beating Ray Emery.
Only 2 minutes later Boone Jenner (originally credited to Nikita Nikitin) found the back of the net. Nikitin got his second multi-point game of the season. Things were starting to look better for the Blue Jackets.
Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
Wayne Simmonds was called for interference and the Blue Jackets went on the only power play of the period. Nothing happened and full & even strength play returned.
A few minutes of play went by before Ryan Johansen got a wrist shot past Emery. Corey Tropp had the assist and earned his first multi-point game of his NHL career.
Emery was pulled from the net with 4 minutes remaining, a bold move by Craige Berube. With 6 players on the ice, the Flyers seemed to surround McElhinney. McElhinney made some great saves until Wayne Simmonds got one past him.
24 seconds later, R.J. Umberger backhanded the puck into the Flyer’s empty net, sealing the deal for the Blue Jackets. The final score was 6-3 in favor of the Blue Jackets.