Three Things: The Return, On This Date, Korpisalo's Big Night Not Enough

By Will Chase on January 24, 2023 at 12:55 am
Columbus Blue Jackets' Johnny Gaudreau during the first period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
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The long-awaited return.

Johnny Gaudreau had two assists on Monday but the trip back to Calgary was foiled in overtime as the Flames beat the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-3.

Andrew Mangiapane had two points and Dillon Dube scored the game-winner in extra time. The goal is Dube's second game-winner in as many games.

Walker Duehr and Nazem Kadri also scored for Calgary. MacKenzie Weegar, Nikita Zadorov, Mikael Backlund, and Blake Coleman earned the assists.

Kirill Marchenko and Patrik Laine each scored power-play goals for the Blue Jackets, 49 seconds apart, with Gaudreau getting the primary assists on both.

The goal snaps Marchenko's career-long six-game goalless drought. Laine now has a team-leading 14 goals, breaking a tie with Gaudreau, and has consecutive power-play goals over his last two games for his only power-play goals this season.

He had two assists to complete a three-point night and continue a three-game point streak (two goals, four assists). Gaudreau has a three-game point streak (one goal, four assists). Boone Jenner also scored for Columbus. Adam Boqvist and Erik Gudbranson had assists.

Dan Vladar had 22 saves for Calgary while Joonas Korpisalo made a regular-season career-high of 45 saves.

The Return

Everyone was waiting for this one.

A Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner in 2016-17, the seven-time All-Star was remembered with a video tribute.

If you've followed Gaudreau and the Blue Jackets closely this season, you know some fan bases, particularly those on the eastern seaboard, close to where Gaudreau grew up in New Jersey, weren't particularly fond of the decision to migrate east from western Canada only to settle in Ohio.

That is, it seemed sure that if Gaudreau left his home in Calgary, he would have headed home, whether that was with the New Jersey Devils, the Philadelphia Flyers, or maybe somewhere else.

Those respective fan bases that felt jilted by the superstar's decision, and ultimately his right to sign where he wanted, relayed heavy boos every time he touched the puck in those markets.

That was the expected fate of what awaited him in Calgary.

Gaudreau's best chance on Monday came early on his seventh career penalty shot in the first period, though he didn't score. He did pick up points on two power-play goals in the second period.

On This Date

On the date in 2021, Laine and Jack Roslovic were acquired by the Blue Jackets for Pierre-Luc Dubois in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets.

On Monday night, Roslovic was centering Gaudreau and Laine but that only lasted for the first period before Boone Jenner went back to the familiar first-line role for the start of the second period.

Korpisalo's Big Night Not Enough 

Korpisalo has done his part many times for the Blue Jackets this season and Monday was no different.

Stopping 17 first-period shots, he kept his team in it from the start of this one all the way through the end in overtime. Moneypuck had the goals saved above expected at 0.68. Calgary had a 5v5 expected goal edge of 3.78-1.8.

Onward

The Blue Jackets are on TNT on Wednesday night, Jan. 25 when they battle the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Puck drop is 9:30 pm ET.

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