Game #46 recap, the Blue Jackets got a much needed spark

The Blue Jackets were indeed a different team on Thursday night. With a new head coach behind the bench, the team came out flying and fought back, ultimately earning an important regulation win over the Calgary Flames.

With defenseman Damon Severson becoming a late scratch due to illness, the Jackets were down 7 of their lineup regulars last night. That did not matter.

They came storming out of the gate, taking the lead just 3:57 into the game; then extending it to 2-0 at 13:24 of the first period. They took that lead into the first intermission, but it was pretty obvious that it was no fluke last night. They were playing really well on both sides of the puck.

To our delight, they came out playing even better in the second period. They crushed the Flames for the first half of it, getting the period's first 8 shots on goal before captain Boone Jenner dropped the mitts with Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson.

That tilt sparked the Calgary bench, and they were able to find two power-play goals in the last 8 minutes to tie the game heading into the third. This is a story we have seen quite a bit this year.

Oh no, here we go again...

The Jackets came into last night's game with a -20 goal differential in the third period. For a team that was -21 overall, it's easy to see where their issues have been all season.

But, not last night. This team was not letting this game slip away. You could see it on their faces, and in the way they played the game. They were not letting this third period get away from them, even when the Flames pushed back.

Zach Werenski scored the go-ahead goal on the power-play just under 5 minutes in. Calgary tied it back up at 10:05, which is usually when we would see this team go into its shell.

Instead, the Jackets went right back to work. Their defensemen stayed active in the offensive zone. Their forwards supported. They made it easier for their goaltender by not playing prevent defense as a unit.

As a result, they were rewarded. On the game winning sequence, it all came together and looked the way it should have looked all season long.

Jenner starts this play by being in the right place defensively. He makes an intelligent play to get the puck out at his own blueline, which the Jackets are able to parley into a shift in the offensive zone.

Instead of falling back and leaving one forechecker to try to win the puck, Jenner and Charlie Coyle give Kent Johnson high support, which cuts off the ability for the Flames to break out of their zone.

Boone intercepts the pass, and has plenty of time and space to walk into the slot and fire home the game winning goal with a confidence that has absolutely been missing:

Same team, different vibes.

I'm not here to dog on Dean Evason, but it's very evident that this team had a different feel around the bench last night. Instead of withering and accepting defeat as they have done quite a bit this season; they continued to battle and fight for each other on every shift.

The veterans were inspired and led the way. Jenner, Coyle, Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov, and Dante Fabbro were all very noticeable. Cole Sillinger (is he a veteran?) was buzzing on the top line, and for the first time in a long time, looked very capable of supporting the two stars alongside him.

More importantly, some of the younger players were very noticeable, in ways they haven't been all season. Kent Johnson had easily his best game of the season, which might coincide with his 20:55 time on ice that led all forwards. He wasn't shy about how he felt after the game:

Adam Fantilli played the game with some snarl and a higher level of determination, driving the puck to the net and generating some scoring chances on his own. And, Jake Christiansen looked like the two-way depth guy we thought he was going to be heading into the season.

It's just one game, and there is definitely a lot of work to do (hello: penalty kill). But, it's an encouraging start for the Jackets as they hope to salvage a season many of us thought was lost.