What have we talked about before?
Injuries to players mean a new opportunity for someone else.
Someone else is Vladislav Gavrikov.
Playing alongside Andrew Peeke, Gavrikov was bumped to the first pairing in Zach Werenski's absence (upper body) over the last two games against the New York Islanders, and he played perhaps his best game of the season on Tuesday night.
The Columbus Blue Jackets fell short to the Islanders, 4-3, but Gavrikov did his best Werenski impression with two goals—his second career multi-goal game this season—to go with five shots, three blocked shots, and he led all players with 30 shifts and 25:24 ice-time.
Gavy's 4th #CBJ pic.twitter.com/POvoLN5HOY
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 30, 2022
NHL Video Highlight - Vladislav Gavrikov scores against the New York Islanders to make it 4-2. pic.twitter.com/WbDIU7uRQk
— Blue Jackets Game Bot (@CBJGameBot) March 30, 2022
#NHL GameScore Impact Card for Columbus Blue Jackets on 2022-03-29:#CBJ pic.twitter.com/wrFOEStQKV
— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) March 30, 2022
In the second of a home-and-home with the Islanders, Gavrikov picked up an assist during Thursday's 5-2 loss, with five shots and two hits in 19:30.
#NHL GameScore Impact Card for Columbus Blue Jackets on 2022-03-31:#CBJ pic.twitter.com/xRAbJ6k5UL
— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards) April 1, 2022
With 30 points and five goals on the year, he won't be confused as a goal-scorer, but Gavrikov will set a career-high with one more goal this season.
"It's always good to score goals but more important for me, it's a win," Gavrikov said following Tuesday's game. "Obviously, (we had) a couple of opportunities to tie it up, unfortunately, (we) couldn't score."
Head coach Brad Larsen and assistant coach Steve McCarthy missed both games against the Islanders due to entering COVID protocol on Tuesday, and neither will be on the trip for Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins.
"It's always tough to lose a coach but we have great guys behind us who step in and took that challenge," Gavrikov said after Tuesday's game. "Really glad to see (Jared Boll) and (Kenny McCudden) and all the guys who (were) behind us.
It was a very huge moment, for (Pascal Vincent) as well, it was his first game for him as a head coach so it's impressive."
You may wonder what kind of impact a new coaching staff, even for one game, might bring to the equation as they did on Tuesday.
"They brought some juice," Gavrikov said. "I'm glad to see how they could handle that. It's really huge."
During Thursday's game, Gavrikov flexed his defensive muscle on a key backcheck early that helped keep the team within two goals and allow the Jackets to claw back in before tying the game at two apiece in the second period.
"That was a huge backcheck for us and to manage to come back in the game after that, that was a good play for us," Vincent said. "Those kinds of plays like a good backcheck like this, blocking a shot, driving the net, it can change the dynamic of the game."
With Werenski remaining day-to-day, Gavrikov will continue to log the big minutes and play in crunch time for the Blue Jackets.
They'll play the Bruins in a home-and-home on Saturday at TD Garden and then Monday at Nationwide Arena, with both face-offs scheduled for 7:00 pm ET.
