Columbus Blue Jackets fall to Tampa Bay Lightning in shootout
The Columbus Blue Jackets fought back from two goals down to send the game to overtime, but Tampa was able to win it in a shootout.
First Period
The Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning came out fast with both team’s flying around the ice. Emotions swung for the Jackets with the Jackets jumping out to a 1-0 lead off of Seth Jones goal. The Tampa Bay Lightning jumped back to tally 2 straight goals to take the lead.
After the Lightning regained the lead the momentum completely shifted, but the Jackets were able to play their game. The Blue Jackets forecheck led to a Zach Werenski goal off of a beautiful pass from Pierre-Luc Dubois.
The Blue Jackets and Lightning were flying around the ice with both teams getting many beautiful chances including a breakaway by Artemi Panarin that was unable to break his goalless streak. While it was exciting, neither team was able to get the edge.
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Second Period
The second period was one that was filled with penalties, and that played directly into the Lightning’s hands. The Blue Jackets power play continued to stall while the Lightning power play was lights out with Stamkos making it 3-2 with a powerplay goal.
Tampa Bay seemed to carry play in the Blue Jackets zone and had the Jackets on their heels. The Jackets did have some chances, but the Lightning was able to grab a second goal off the stick of Yanni Gourde making it 4-2 after 2 periods.
Any momentum that the Jackets had from tying the Lightning in the first went out the window with the Lightning skating circles around Columbus. The Blue Jackets did not materialize anything while the Lightning flexed their muscles.
Third Period
Columbus came out of the gate and took the third period by the horns. The Jackets forechecked heavily which threw the Lightning off of their game. The Jackets controlled the game in Tampa’s zone which lead to Markus Hannakainen scoring on a wraparound to cut the Lightning lead to one. Brandon Dubinsky followed Hannikainen up tying the game at 4 with his first goal of the season.
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Columbus tied the game at four, and the score held leading to overtime. The Jackets work in the third stole a point that the team did not deserve with their atrocious play in the second. The Jackets did not play a full 60 but buckled up when they had to.
Overtime
The Tampa Bay Lightning are scary talented, so three on three overtime is not a spot you want to get into with the Lightning. Steven Stamkos bailed the Jackets out with a penalty which gave the Jackets the man advantage throughout the five-minute frame.
The Jackets unsurprisingly were unable to score on the power-play. Stamkos’ penalty limited the time that the Jackets and Lightning went three on three which is a blessing in itself. Neither team was able to score which led to a shootout.
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Shootout
The Blue Jackets were involved in their second shootout of the season with the first coming against the Boston Bruins on Monday. Columbus won their first shootout of the season with Bobrovsky stopping all shooters and Bjorkstrand and Panarin scoring.
Against the Lightning, the Jackets were held scoreless in the shootout with Milano, Panarin, and Bjorkstrand unable to score in the skills contest. For the Lightning Stamkos was able to beat Bobrovsky and claim the second point for Tampa.