Wow.
You can pinch yourself all you want, but you're not dreaming.
Yes, Elvis Merzlikins really did shut out the Bruins tonight.
And yes, the Blue Jackets got goals from Alexander Wennberg, Kevin Stenlund and Riley Nash to defeat the Bruins, 3-0.
It was a statement win tonight from the Blue Jackets, who have proved they don't care if they're icing several AHL players and a rookie goaltender. They play hard every game, and they've won more often than not recently. This is fun.
Let's get into tonight's three things.
Elvis is Putting on a Show
The Blue Jackets saw the worst of Merzlikins early in the season, but they're certainly seeing some of the best of him now.
His shutout tonight was his second in a row, and he hasn't given up a goal in his last 138 minutes. Shutting down the potent Bruins attack isn't easy, but Elvis certainly made it look like it was.
Merzlikins is putting up some gaudy numbers, and with every game he stars in, he makes his case stronger for a platoon with Joonas Korpisalo, who, lest we not forget, was playing the best hockey of his career before he got injured. Two goaltenders playing great hockey is never a bad thing.
Bittersweet Dagger
With the Blue Jackets up 2-0 in the third period, it was inevitable that a push from the Bruins was coming. Or was it?
Riley Nash snuffed out all hopes of a Bruins comeback with his fourth goal of the campaign. And boy, was it pretty.
The real R. Nash!#CBJ pic.twitter.com/QUt0Sf94Mg
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 15, 2020
Of course, it was meaningful to Nash. Scoring on your former club is a strange feeling, but it was an important goal for the boys in blue.
They're For Real.
Since the summer the doubters have been loud and many in number. While they will still remain, as is their nature, these Blue Jackets are for real. There's no question about it.
With Merzlikins/Korpisalo in net, the defense led by Werenski and Jones, and everybody contributing on offense, this is a dangerous team capable of making some noise.
They've beaten the Bruins twice in the last two weeks, who are currently top of the Atlantic Division and have been playing some amazing hockey.
This is fun, folks. This is Blue Jackets hockey.
