Game #9: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Ottawa Senators live blog

It’s been somewhat of a somber day around the Columbus Blue Jackets faithful, but there is good news: there’s actual hockey tonight! The Jackets welcome in the Ottawa Senators, and look to extract revenge from their loss from a couple of weeks ago in Canada’s capital.

Here are the projected lines for the Blue Jackets:

Scott Hartnell – Ryan Johansen – Cam Atkinson
Alexander Wennberg – Mark Letestu – Jack Skille
Corey Tropp – Artem Anisimov – Marko Dano
Adam Cracknell – Michael Chaput – Jared Boll

And, for the defensive parings:

Jack Johnson – David Savard
Ryan Murray – James Wisniewski
Fedor Tyutin – Dalton Prout

The Sens top line of Clarke MacArthur, Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan have combined for five goals and 12 assists through their first seven games. It seems teams are still seeing the CBJ as an optimal back-up game, as Robin Lehner is getting the start over Craig Anderson.

So, sit back, relax, refresh this page every few minutes for new updates, and let’s watch some Tuesday night hockey!

Pregame:
To paraphrase, the FSO announcers didn’t have time to go through all the Jackets’ injuries in a half-hour program… Yeah. 47 man games lost in the first nine games of the season is simply insane.

Five games upcoming against Metro opponents means five games that are all 4-point nights, and eight against the East means some important points up for grabs. An important stretch starts with this game, and it’s going to be a challenge to overcome injuries and make it happen. Here’s hoping the boys can pull this one off and start this stretch out on a high note.

First Period:
Jackets starting lineup is Hartnell-Joey-Foligno, and Tyutin-Savard in front of McElhinney.

18:00, 0-0
Jackets controlled the puck early and got the first shot on goal, only to have it taken back down and the shot returned. Shots tied at one.

16:38, 0-0
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Boll and Borowiecki drop the gloves and Boll simply bear-hugs him before letting go and delivering a few hard fists to the face.

14:28, 1-0 – CBJ GOAL – David Savard
Savard scores on the power play with 3-seconds left, a wonderful slap-shot from the right wing, and it’s a 1-0 lead for the CBJ.

13:38, 1-1 -SENATORS GOAL – Bobby Ryan

Well, that didn’t last long. Bobby Ryan lets a wrist-shot go form the blueline, and this is a tie game. It’s the fifth PP goal given up on the year by Columbus, and the first home-PP goal allowed.

6:21, 1-1
We’ve got another fight! Boll, again, with Chris Neil, and Neil takes a cheap shot at Boll’s right eye. BOOOOO YOU, CHRIS.
END OF THE FIRST PERIOD, CBJ 1 – Ottawa 1

First Period Thoughts
The Jackets are outshooting the Sens, and if not for an untimely penalty almost as soon as they took a lead, this could be a CBJ lead heading into the locker room. There have been 30 minutes of penalties already…not quite sure why, though, and Boll has been in two fights. Maybe some carry over from the first meeting of the season? Oh well. Can’t wait for period 2!

2nd Period

Puck Drop
Let’s do this, Jackets! The second 20 is underway, and the Jackets have just under a minute of a PK left to begin the period.

19:04, 1-1
Back to full strength! Jackets can now go on the offensive for the first time this period, but are having trouble disrupting the Senators flow.

18:16, 2-1 – Senators Goal – Zack Smith
Zack Smith with another shot from the point, and he scores his second goal of the season. Ottawa has come out to put all the pressure on offensively early, and the CBJ now trail for the first time tonight.

13:30, 2-1 OTT
The Jackets are getting some pressure, and have had a good couple of chances, but still haven’t gotten anything set up. They will be headed to the power play, however, after the media timeout.

11:55, 2-1 OTT
Holy cow, that was a BLATANT elbow to Arty. Great to Hartnell for coming in and defending his teammate. Good gosh, that was bad. The helment popped off like a video game.
Okay, after watching the replay, it wasn’t an elbow, but a dangerous shoulder hit. Looked worse live – but still a Sens’ 5 minute major for targeting the head. Hartnell is in the box, but two minutes well worth it. Hopefully Hartnell’s alright. The LAST thing CBJ needs is another player to the IR.

6:54, 2-1 OTT
The long power play is over, and it wasn’t a very good one. Having said that, Lehner made a couple of magnificent saves. Super unlucky for CBJ, as they had some stellar chances right in front.

1:02 , 2-2 – CBJ GOAL – Cam Atkinson
Atkinson is back in the lineup, and on the scoresheet! Literally off the faceoff, Atkinson beats the glove-side of Lehner, and finally the energy of CBJ is paid off in a goal.

END OF THE SECOND PERIOD, 2-2

2nd Period Thoughts
The first half of the period was controlled by the Senators, who came out with a man-advantage, and score early in the period. However, after Anisimov was hit and taken out of the game (he wont return for the night, by the way), and that was the wakeup call the Jackets needed. They began getting good looks, letting shots fly, but Lehner has simply been on fire. Luckily, Atkinson found the back of the net, and we will start the third period knotted at three. If the Jackets come out with the same intensity they did in the back half of the period, as well as the entire first period, this should be a very enjoyable 3rd period.

3rd Period
Puck Drop
Let’s do this, boys. 20 more minutes to protect NWA. Lehhhhh go!

17:45, 2-2>
A very free-flowing period so far, and McElhienny is being very active, both in and in front of the crease. Hopefully he’s smart about where he is as the night goes on. There have been a couple of times where I’ve been a little worried…

16:19, 3-2 OTT – Senators Goal – Erik Karlsson
The Sens’ had an odd-man rush, and it was Karlsson who buried the puck. CBJ now playing from behind, again. Seemed to develop real quickly, Ottawa caught CBJ on the change.

14:29, 3-2 OTT
Corey Tropp, ladies and gentleman. He will go off for boarding, and good gosh. As I’m typing this, the CBJ broadcast relays that Tropp has been sent off to the dressing room. The official penalty is checking from behind and a game misconduct. So CBJ will go on a 5 minute PK. Not what you want when you’re down.

9:54, 4-2 OTT – Senators Goal – Alex Chiasson
Don’t let the goal fool you – that was a darn. Good. Kill. Just not a successful one, and Ottawa scored with 26 seconds left. The Sens had shot after shot after shot, and the CBJ defense, as well as McBackup, held their ground well, just couldn’t fight it off anymore. Bad news – two goal deficit. Good news – a two goal lead is the most dangerous lead in hockey!

8:52, 5-2 OTT – Senators Goal – Clarke MacArthur
That was entirely the CBJ’s fault, as a bad exchange right in front of the net led to a very opportunistic play by MacArthur. The energy has been sucked out of NWA. Ugghhhh.

8:17, 5-2 OTT
Another play which ends with guys on the ice. Tyutin was making a break towards the net and couldn’t connect on the shot, but did connect with Lehner, thanks to an Ottawa defender pushing him into Lehner forcing contact. Everyone seems to be okay, though.

FINAL: CBJ 2 – Ottawa 5

Final Thoughts
Honestly, I’m not sure if Bob being in net tonight would have made much of a difference. The Jackets had plenty of opportunities, and frankly, Lehner played magnificently in goal tonight for Ottawa. There was an extra pep in the step of both squads, and a ton of penalties, but ultimately the story of the game was the inability for the Jackets to finish off one of their nearly 40 chances to put this game away early. It’ll be an off day tomorrow, practice Thrusday, and a return to the ice Friday and Saturday.
Stay here on U&B.com for our full post-game recap. Thanks for joining us tonight!