Brandon Dubinsky scored in overtime to beat the Penguins in front of a sold out Nationwide Arena. The win moves the Columbus Blue Jackets a point behind the Pens and .500 since the 16 game win streak ended.
The Columbus Blue Jackets beat their Metropolitan division rival two goals to one in front of the second largest regular season crowd in franchise history. The win improves the season point total to 79 as they now sit one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Ryan Murray scored the first goal of the game and second of the season for him in the middle period. Pittsburgh quickly tied it up with an Ian Cole goal off a face off. After an intense but scoreless third period, Brandon Dubinsky slotted the game winner glove side of Matt Murray to win the game and send the rowdy CBJ crowd home happy.
Sergei Bobrovsky turned away 38 of 39 shots on the night and came up big when the team needed him. Bobrovsky sat out the win against Toronto on Wednesday in order to be fully rested for the game against the Pens. His game has seemingly reached peak Bobrovsky as of late. Especially now that the defenseman in front of him are healthy again.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Poor Officiating Cost Columbus Goals
In the first period it looked as if Boone Jenner scored the first goal as he knocked in a rebound through Murrary’s five hole during a scrum right in the middle of the crease. Unfortunately for Jenner and the Jackets, the refs had blown the play dead seconds before the puck crossed the goal line.
Youngster Oliver Bjorkstrand continues to impress. Bjorkstrand had the go ahead goal scored in the second period but yet again the refs blew the play dead. A delayed call against Pittsburgh was touched up in front of the crease before Bjorkstrand put away what looked like his second goal in as many nights.
The Line of Jenner-Dubinsky-Atkinson has been red hot as of late and tonight was no exception. All year we have been waiting for Jenner and Dubinsky to turn it on, and it seems we have reached that point.
The Jackets look to continue their high level of play on Sunday against the Nashville Predators on Sunday. The puck drops at 6pm at Nationwide Arena and it will be the last game until Saturday as we head into the NHL mandated bye week.