If the Blue Jackets' Thursday night comeback seemed familiar, that’s because it was.
Not just because it marked the second consecutive postseason in which the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied from a three-goal deficit to win 4-3.
And not even just because the goals were scored from eerily similar points on the ice, as seen here:
But the timeline of events. Oh, the timeline of events. Here’s how things shook out in Game 1 last year, versus Game 3 last night:
April 10th, 2019: The Blue Jackets have a first-period power play. Seth Jones is usually flawless, but ever-so-slightly misplays the puck and the Tampa Bay Lightning go up 1-0 on a short-handed goal. I cringe.
August 6th, 2020: The Blue Jackets have a first-period power play. Jones is usually flawless but is in the wrong place at the wrong time and the Toronto Maple Leafs go up 1-0 on a short-handed goal. I cringe.
April 10th, 2019: The Lightning go up 2-0 about seven minutes later. Sergei Bobrovsky is beat from point-blank range and I glare at the television as if it’s to blame.
August 6th, 2020: The Leafs go up 2-0 about eight minutes later. Joonas Korpisalo is beat from point-blank range and I glare at the television as if it’s to blame.
April 10th, 2019: Just a few minutes after it becomes 2-0, it’s 3-0 Lightning and I start to debate the meaning of life.
August 6th, 2020: Just a few minutes after it becomes 2-0, it’s 3-0 Leafs and I start to debate the meaning of life.
April 10th, 2019: About one minute from the midway point in the second period and there’s life! Nick Foligno scores and it’s a two-goal game.
August 6th, 2020: About one minute from the midway point in the second period and there’s life! Pierre-Luc Dubois scores and it’s a two-goal game.
April 10th, 2019: It’s a 3-2 game on an unassisted goal by a defenseman! David Savard scores 7:56 into the third period. I am cautiously optimistic.
August 6th, 2020: It’s a 3-2 game on an unassisted goal by a defenseman! Jones scores 7:27 into the third period. I am cautiously optimistic.
April 10th, 2019: It's a tie game! 3:58 after the second goal, a nifty move by Josh Anderson finds its way into the back of the net. My neighbors are peeking through their blinds, wondering what all the ruckus is about.
August 6th, 2020: It's a tie game! 3:22 after the second goal, a nifty move by Dubois finds its way into the back of the net. My neighbors are peeking through their blinds, wondering what all the ruckus is about.
April 10th, 2019: After trailing 3-0, the Blue Jackets win 4-3 to take a series lead that they would never relinquish.
August 6th, 2020: After trailing 3-0, the Blue Jackets win 4-3 to take a series lead...
The rest is history (and some yet to still be written).
