Don’t let the offseason rumors and postseason results completely spoil your taste of last season. It was a fun ride.
Try and remember the Bobrovsky back-door saves, the Cam Atkinson breakaways and the screams from Tortorella. It all still happened and is worth reminiscing about.
Here’s our list of the best Columbus Blue Jackets moments from this past regular season. We guarantee you this nostalgia will bring the goose bumps out:
GOALS:
Bread Man Arrives
Artemi Panarin went his first three games as a Blue Jacket without scoring - but he wasn't panicking. His true arrival to Columbus came in his fourth game at home vs the Rangers, when he really showed the fans why we were have been excited about acquiring him:
Matty Ice Dangles (Somehow)
Matt Calvert might be the most peculiar Blue Jackets player ever. He had 20-point regular seasons, but was one of the best penalty killers in club history, wasn't afraid to fight anyone, and was as clutch as could be in the playoffs. And, occasionally, he would do this:
Panarin & Dubois Complete the Comeback
This was one of the bigger games of last season as the Jackets fought for a playoff spot. Even after going down 4-1 to Detroit, it still felt like something was bound to happen. Panarin and Dubois completed the comeback for a big win for the club:
HITS:
Nick Foligno Lays the Wood on Brad Marchand
When this play happened, we're pretty sure you could hear a collective cheering around the NHL. Brad Marchand has earned himself quite the bad-boy reputation with most teams, and the Jackets' captain punishing him was just very needed:
This hit from Nick Foligno on Brad Marchand will make many fans around the NHL happy.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/nAQB3RDfO8
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 20, 2018
Seth Jones Gives Tom Wilson a Taste of His Own Medicine
The usual mild-mannered Seth Jones decided to let Tom Wilson know that he'll have to keep his head up a lot more often when playing Columbus. A goal came soon after, which is cool too:
SAVES:
Bob's Dagger to Detroit (Part 1)
This may be one of the greatest saves in Blue Jackets history, if it isn't already the greatest. A breakaway is difficult enough for a goalie, but a 2 on 1 in the opposing team's barn? This was worth re-watching 50 or so times:
Bob's Dagger to Detroit (Part 2)
This was just mean, really. Bobrovsky is known for his anticipation and eyes being ready for cross-crease passes, but this was on another level. You almost have to feel bad for the Wings after this:
Abandoning the Stick (Again)
Sergei Bobrovsky abandoning his goalie stick to make a diving save is one of the most fun things to watch as a Jackets fan. Here's him turning a typical empty-net goal into a clutch save:
BONUS - TORTS!
Tortorella Duels with Ovechkin
This is what the city of Columbus always deserved - a coach willing to mouth off with one of the best players in the league mid-game. Torts did apologize later, but this was just awesome:
There was plenty to joyfully reminisce about for the Jackets after another successful regular season - but everyone knows that more needs to be done than just a good regular season.
What was your favorite moment from the 2017-2018 season?
