The 2019-20 NHL season was probably the most bizarre campaign any of us will ever watch. The league hit pause in March due to the COVID pandemic, suspending play until late July to keep everyone safe.
As a result, we were "treated" to playoff hockey late in the summer and into the fall. The Blue Jackets were right on the fringe of a playoff spot when the league shut down. Since the teams hadn't all played an even number of games, the league decided to have a play-in round, featuring all of the teams who still had a shot.
Of course, many of you will remember that the Blue Jackets were awarded with a 5-game qualifying round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. That series gave us some of the most memorable hockey in our franchise's existence-none more memorable than game 3.
Much to our surprise (and the dismay of Toronto hockey fans), the Blue Jackets were in this series right from the start. In fact, they won game 1 via shutout, 2-0. The Leafs came back and returned the favor in game 2 with a 3-0 shutout win of their own.
Toronto carried that momentum into game #3, taking a 3-0 lead midway through the second period. That's when the top line center of the Blue Jackets began to impose his will.
Pierre-Luc Dubois took the game over.
After a verbal lashing from head coach John Tortorella was caught on camera, Pierre-Luc Dubois decided that the best way to respond was to take the game over. He did exactly that. He scored to cut the Toronto lead to 3-1.
Seth Jones scored to cut the lead to 3-2 less than 8 minutes into the third period, giving us a glimmer of hope. Then, it was Luc's game the rest of the way.
Dubois scored a nifty goal on a 2-on-1 just over three minutes later, looking off the pass, then protecting the puck from a diving back-checker before firing a shot into the net. As the Leafs looked on, stunned, the big centerman was not finished just yet.
Late in the first overtime period, he slammed an exclamation point on the game. Take that, coach. While skating the puck out of his own end, Alex Texier looked around for his options. The moment his head popped up, Dubois furiously tapped his stick to the ice, signaling the best option.
Once the puck was on his stick, the game was over. You could feel it in the air, as he broke in against Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie. Barrie left him the backhand, and Dubois took it, timing his shot to beat a sliding Frederik Andersen back the other way, winning the game in overtime for the Blue Jackets.
The Leafs came back and won game 4 to tie the series, but the Jackets went on to win game 5 and advance into the first round of the playoffs that summer. They were outclassed by the Tampa Bay Lightning, ultimately losing in 5 games.
However, that shouldn't detract from what was a magical play-in series win; which was highlighted by this game from Dubois. It remains one of the most exciting single game performances in franchise history.
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