What a wild way to start a three-game road trip.
Boone Jenner stole the show with two goals and Justin Danforth scored his first career goal to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 shootout victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night from Gila River Arena.
Yegor Chinakhov, fresh off his first-career goal Monday night over the Detroit Red Wings, fired off the winning shootout goal to give Columbus their ninth victory, and move the team to 5-0 in overtime/shootout. Columbus is now 10-2 in their last 12 games against the Coyotes.
Arizona came in just 2-13-1 on the season after earning their second win of the season against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Regardless of the Coyotes' struggles coming in, Brad Larsen's message about his team and their focus were as you expected.
#CBJ vs. #Coyotes starts in about 30 minute, their final meeting of the season. CBJ won 8-2 on opening night, and Arizona (2-13-1) has been the #NHLs worst team through the first month.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) November 19, 2021
Coach Brad Larsen, asked if he feared the potential of a trap game tonight: pic.twitter.com/VYV2oEtt4s
Boone Jenner Leads The Way
Jenner continues to string together goals. His first period goal and eighth of the season at 16:35 tied the game at one—matching last year's total—and he already has four power play goals this season.
Captain Clutch! #CBJ pic.twitter.com/e6elGmBmHL
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 19, 2021
But there's more.
In the second period, he tied the game again, moments after Phil Kessel's goal had given the Coyotes a 2-1 lead.
In the third period, Jenner was originally credited with his third goal of the game which would have been his second-career hat trick. The goal was later credited to Zach Werenski for his fourth of the season as part of a two-point night. Werenski assisted on Jenner's first goal of the night.
BOONE! pic.twitter.com/Y5vroHyR5j #CBJ
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 19, 2021
The captain now has a two-game goal streak with three against the Coyotes. He just missed another goal in overtime on a breakaway that went wide. For the game, he finished with six shots on goal.
Boone Jenner didn't get his hat trick, but he had 13 shot attempts (!), won 14 of 21 faceoffs and skated 23:53. He was everywhere. #CBJ
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) November 19, 2021
Columbus 46 shots on goal is the most theyve had in a regular season game since February 16th, 2020; a span of 80 games.
— CBJ Stats (@BlueJacketStats) November 19, 2021
They lost that one, despite outshooting New Jersey 55-26 in that game. The time before that? December 5th, 2019; the #CBJ outshot the NYR 47-19 and lost.
Jake Voracek also had two assists on the night. The point-per-game player now has 15 on the year and is on a seven-game point streak (one goal, nine assists).
Elvis Fends Off 'Yotes
It's simple, but for every great goal, you need goaltending to lead the way on occasion. Thursday wasn't Elvis Merzlikins' best game, but he was able to do just enough to fend off the Coyotes in a wild affair, keeping his team in it through a seven-round shootout.
Below is just one of a few key stops throughout the night.
Elvis Merzikins with a great save! pic.twitter.com/zw9DXb3pbS
— Bally Sports Columbus (@BallySportsCBUS) November 19, 2021
It was a weird night overall with odd bounces and caroms that were helping (and hurting) both teams as the game wore on.
Justin Danforth
In just his second career game, Danforth lit up the scoreboard for the first goal and point of his NHL career, which gave Columbus a brief 3-2 lead in the second period.
Justin's 1st! pic.twitter.com/LYFTULq9rR #CBJ
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 19, 2021
The 28-year-old rookie had a golden third-period opportunity in which he missed a wide-open net off the post.
This will be on @Steve_Dangle Dang-Its as #CBJ Justin Danforth has a wide open net and hits the post pic.twitter.com/ZMfnkL9Kg1
— Hockey Hound (@HockeyHoundShow) November 19, 2021
Justin Danforth hits the post with a wide-open net moments after the #CBJ kill ends. Jenner got the puck coming out of the box, reversed it to Werenski, who found Danforth at the front, but it just got the post.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) November 19, 2021
Danforth has his first NHL goal tonight and could have three.
Sin City
The Blue Jackets will face the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday at 10:00 pm ET from T-Mobile Arena. Vegas defeated the Red Wings 5-2 on Thursday night in Las Vegas.
