In a huge game with playoff ramifications for both teams, the Columbus Blue Jackets get the all important second point in overtime.
For the first time since November the Columbus Blue Jackets have won three games in a row. And this one wasn’t easy at all. After being up 4-2 late in the third the Avs came back to tie and force overtime. Seth Jones made sure that one point was all the Avs were getting tonight.
The Columbus Blue Jackets fell behind 2-0 in the middle of the first. Two goals separated by only 11 seconds gave the Colorado Avalanche an early lead. But Boone Jenner answered just 42 seconds later. Alexander Wennberg picked up the assist on a Boone’s seventh of the season.
when avs collide https://t.co/DoBWQwLn4Y
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 9, 2018
The Jackets went on to dominate the remainder of the period. They allowed no shots on two Colorado power plays and had a few great attempts including two from Sonny Milano who was buzzing around in the first.
The Best Period of Jacket Hockey this Season
The Jackets came out and dominated in the second like they did for the final ten minutes of the first. Thomas Vanek scored his first as a Columbus Blue Jacket just a minute into the period. Then the CBJ drew two penalties in succession. They had several scoring chances but were unsuccessful in those attempts. But they were still dominating the Avs and held them shot-less for over 17 minutes.
Related Story: CBJ Need more from Vanek
Halfway through the period the Jackets ended up on the power play for the third time in the game. Artemi Panarin entered the zone with speed and whizzed by the entire Avs squad. He circled around the net and continued to carry the puck drawing all the attention of the defense.
He then found Pierre-Luc Dubois who circled the puck to Seth Jones who found a wide open Zach Werenski who ripped his 14th goal of the year. Panarin won’t get an assist but he opened up the entire defense with his possession.
sweeeeeeet passing pic.twitter.com/0ChEQ84y26
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) March 9, 2018
Just a note, with every goal Werenski has from here on out, it will be a franchise record for defenseman goals in a season.
Just three minutes later Vanek backhanded his second of the game to extend the lead to 4-2. The Vanek-Wennberg-Jenner line was really clicking in the second period and almost came up with a third Vanek goal after an insane pass from Wennberg left Vanek in front of the net looking at just Varlamov.
Third Period and OT
The game remained at 4-2 well into the third period. The Jackets continued to dominate possession and the shot tracker but couldn’t convert to make it a three goal game. A ticky-tac hooking call on Brandon Dubinksy sent the Avs to the power play for the third time this game. And this team is too good on the man advantage to be shut out on the man advantage three times. They scored late in the power play to draw the game to 4-3 off Gabriel Landeskog’s 22nd of the year.
The momentum continued for the Avs and just moments later they tie up the game at 4. Because winning in regulation isn’t fun apparently.
The overtime period started with a solid shift from the Avs but Korpi made two saves to keep the Jackets in it. With the first possession of overtime Pierre-Luc Dubois made some great moves to leave Seth Jones open for the overtime winner. The all important second point gives the Jackets 75 points on the season.
They will be back on the ice tomorrow to take on the Detroit Red Wings at 7pm at Nationwide.