Overtime hockey is not for the faint at heart.
Tonight was proof of that, as the Columbus Blue Jackets won 3-2 over the Carolina Hurricanes in the extra round of the shootout after a wild overtime at PNC Arena in Raleigh.
Here are three things from a wild 32nd game of the season:
ONE POINT BECOMES TWO
Seth Jones scored in the final minute of regulation to assure the Blue Jackets would pick up at least one point - an important one in what has suddenly become a tight playoff race. But in the overtime period, Jones went to the box and it wasn't long before Carolina would get one by Elvis Merzlikins to seemingly give the Hurricanes a win.
But the play was determined to be offsides, and the Blue Jackets took advantage of the deflated energy to keep the game at 2-2. In the last round of the shootout and Columbus down 1-0, Patrik Laine rocketed one past Carolina's James Reimer, and in the next round, Oliver Bjorkstrand would replicate Laine's efforts to give the Blue Jackets the 2-1 shootout victory, and the 3-2 win for the game.
Dead until they weren't - it's not the first time that Columbus has written this story, and with just about six weeks left in the season, they're tied for the 4th and final playoff spot with an equal number of games played.
IS THE TWO-HEADED MONSTER BACK?
Joonas Korpisalo has been steady in recent weeks, but the Columbus Blue Jackets absolutely need Elvis Merzlikins to be on his game if this team is going to be able to hang in a playoff spot.
ELVIS pic.twitter.com/bXu0BCzcL4
— FOX Sports Columbus (@FOXSportsCbus) March 21, 2021
This save single-handily would lead to the win. Without it, Carolina wins this game in overtime. We've seen Merzlikins dazzle before, but this was just his second game back from a weeks-long injury, and the confidence boost that comes with saves like this can not be understated.
SETH JONES. SETH JONES. SETH JONES.
Peak Seth Jones is a force. Until about a week ago, the Blue Jackets were not getting anywhere near it. Now that they are, the difference is clear. Jones now has a three-game point streak, and take your pick about which was better: his overtime winner Thursday, or this game-tying gem with :28 left in the game:
TIE GAME...AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/61OzNWXiGh
— FOX Sports Columbus (@FOXSportsCbus) March 21, 2021
In the two games against Carolina combined, Jones played 56:09, scored three goals on 10 (!) shots, blocked five shots (after blocking a season-high nine in Sunday's game against Dallas), and was a +3 on the plus/minus.
If Peak Jones is back for good - and is surely looks that way - look out.
