A defensive showdown between two teams going in opposite directions.
Jake Oettinger made 27 saves to backstop the Central Division-leading Dallas Stars over the Metropolitan Division last-place Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1, on Monday at Nationwide Arena.
Rookie Wyatt Johnston scored 55 seconds into the second period and Jason Robertson scored his team-leading 24th goal with the empty net at 18:53 of the third period.
Ryan Suter and Jamie Benn each picked up assists. Suter is on a three-game point streak (three assists) and Benn is on a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist).
Ottinger just missed out on a shutout when Kent Johnson scored with seconds remaining in the game. Jack Roslovic and Gus Nyquist connected for assists.
Ottinger improves to 7-0-1 against Columbus in eight career appearances. Daniil Tarasov performed well, making 32 stops in a hard-luck loss.
Gaudreau - Johnson - Laine
We're finally seeing Kent Johnson play center for the Blue Jackets.
Due, of course, to Monday's news that second-leading scorer Boone Jenner will miss four weeks after breaking his thumb last week and will require surgery. Jenner played through the injury, scoring a power play goal in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Josh Dunne (4:36 ice time on Monday) was the corresponding move, coming up from Cleveland and centering the fourth line. Cole Sillinger is out day-to-day (upper body), leaving the Blue Jackets with two experienced forwards at the center position.
As the next-man-up mentality continues, the Jackets get perhaps a glimpse of what's to come for No. 91 down the middle for the Jackets. Johnson scored his seventh goal of the season at 19:45 to get the Blue Jackets on the board and break Oettinger's shutout. He had two shots and one takeaway in a career-high 20:07 ice time. Johnson was 3-of-11 in the face-off circle.
Johnny Gaudreau donned the 'A' on his sweater and was -1 with one shot in 23:44. Patrik Laine was -1 with one shot in 23:08.
| Gaudreau - Johnson - Laine | TOI | GF | GA | xGF | xGA |
| 5v5 | 16:08 | 0 | 0 | 0.37 | 0.43 |
| Natural Stat Trick |
Chinakhov Goes Down
Yegor Chinakhov's night was cut short, barely a minute into action, after Joel Kiviranta fell on Chinakhov's back left knee.
#CBJ pic.twitter.com/jxPzNTCxBm
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) December 20, 2022
His final line was one shift and 0:37 as Columbus played with 11 forwards for most of the game, and only 10 in the third period since Dunne didn't play at all in the final frame.
A New No. 1?
Tarasov made his third consecutive start for the Jackets on Monday and continues to look comfortable, coming away as the game's second star of the night.
While Johnston's second-period goal at 55 seconds of the second period beat Tarasov on a rebound, Tarasov is essentially the de facto No. 1 netminder for head coach Brad Larsen while Joonas Korpisalo recovers from a lower-body injury and Elvis Merzlikins has struggled.
The defense helped shoulder the weight in front as the Blue Jackets' defense had 26 blocked shots. Erik Gudbranson led the game with eight. Vladislav Gavrikov caught a puck up high in the ear for what's credited as his only blocked shot. He stayed in the game and had one hit in 19:24.
Tarasov's goals saved above expected was 2.96 per MoneyPuck.
Tarasov has been that guy for Columbus lately. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/GP32MydWX9
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) December 20, 2022
On To Philly
The Blue Jackets will be in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Dec. 20 to face the Flyers at 7:00 pm ET. It will be the third meeting between the two clubs. Columbus won both previous meetings at Nationwide Arena, by a score of 5-2 on Nov. 10 and 5-4 in overtime on Nov. 15.
