Early in the NHL seasons, lines can be like the weather in Ohio, according to the old joke – if you don’t like how it looks, just wait a few minutes and you might see something completely different.
That is what happened with the Columbus Blue Jackets during Saturday’s 5-1 loss at Chicago. Head coach John Tortorella shook things up in the second period with his second and third forward units.
So who knows exactly how the team’s forwards will be deployed when the team takes on Metro Division foe Carolina on Tuesday night, especially if Josh Anderson is ready to go after his conditioning assignment to Cleveland.
But one line that Blue Jackets fans likely wouldn’t be sad to see still together is the trio of Pierre-Luc Dubois on the left wing, Brandon Dubinsky at center and Matt Calvert on the right.
In the opening game, the trio was responsible for a goal – Dubois’ first career tally, set up by a beautiful assist by defenseman Seth Jones – and had nine shots while turning in some extensive shifts in the offensive zone thanks to good old-fashioned hard work.
“They’re two really good players, really intense, who work so hard,” Dubois said. “When you play with guys like that, you know you’re going to get loose pucks. You know you’re going to get battles you are going to win. They told me before the game, ‘When you don’t know where to go, just put it behind the net and we’ll be there. We’ll work with you.’ ”
In all, it was a successful debut. Just how successful? Luckily for us, Alison Lukan already did the dirty work on this one.
Tortorella said 18-17-11 was one of the strongest lines tonight for CBJ. He wasnt wrong. pic.twitter.com/t6at56CrjL
— Alison (@AlisonL) October 7, 2017
“I think we played a good game,” Dubois said. “First period, we didn’t start off like we wanted to, our line, but we kept going and I think in the second and third period we played really well.”
Head coach John Tortorella seemed to agree.
“I thought Luc fit in with Dubi and Calvy,” he said. “I thought it was one of our stronger lines with the puck.”
Things were a bit different in game two at Chicago, a 5-1 loss on Saturday night. The trio was split up and merged with the second line, with Calvert joining Nick Foligno and Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand joining Dubinsky and Dubois. Still, when together, the 11-17-18 trio had positive puck possession and shot numbers at 5-on-5.
Looking at the skills of the players, it’s not hard to believe how the three have meshed. Dubinsky and Calvert are each players who have made their names with their intensity and doggedness while Dubois brings a big body at 6-3, 207 that is fully capable of matching the two veterans when it comes to being hard to play against.
“Calvert and Dubi are two really good players in practice,” Dubois said. “Dubi always wants to be first in line to go, and he’s the guy that guides me in a good way. To see him work so hard, I feel bad if I don’t give the same effort they do. It’s really fun to play with two guys like that.”
In some ways, the trio brings back memories of another Blue Jackets line that was able to consistently cause chaos across the ice and particular in the team’s offensive zone. That is the trio of Dubinsky, Calvert and Cam Atkinson, who were often joined in years past and quickly became a fan favorite thanks in large part to goals like this.
Those are, of course big shoes to fill. The three players might not even be on the ice again with each other come Tuesday night.
But if they are, you can't help but think opponents will get sick of seeing 11, 17 and 18 together as the season progresses.
