"Everybody likes scoring goals."
Those were the words of Blue Jackets defenseman Erik Gudbranson, who played a significant role in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Lightning. He factored in on two goals including scoring the game-winner in the third period.
#CBJ Gudbranson (1) goal pic.twitter.com/NVyG1jCiF3
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 3, 2023
This play starts with #CBJ Gudbranson (44) keeping the puck in before moving the puck to Sillinger (4) down the wall. Sillinger then finds Voronkov (10) at the right hashes who then finds Marchenko (86) who doesn't hesitate to rip a shot past Tomkins' (90) high-glove side. https://t.co/uRD8o0KRhR
— Coby Maeir (@CobyMaeir) November 2, 2023
After the game, Blue Jackets head coach praised his veteran defenseman.
"I think he's at a point in his life that he knows exactly what he is and who he is," Vincent said. "And he's very confident about what he can do on the ice. And for us at this point, I think he's been one of our best players."
Gudbranson registered a season-best 2.29 game score against the Lightning, which ranked fourth among all skaters in the contest, according to hockeystatcards.com.
Thursday's game was not a flash in the pan, however. Gudbranson's on-ice numbers at five-on-five have improved substantially over last year, his first year in Columbus after signing a four-year, $4M AAV deal in the Summer of 2022.
| Shots Attempts For % | Shots On Goal For % | Scoring Chances For % | High-Danger Chances For % | Expected Goals For % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 42.50% | 42.20% | 41.80% | 40.80% | 41.28% |
| 2023-24 | 46.47% | 47.95% | 42.65% | 45.83% | 47.40% |
| % Change | +3.97% | +5.75% | +0.85% | +5.03% | +6.12% |
Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner praised his fellow letter-wearer (Gudbranson wears the 'A' for road games), calling Gudbranson's goal "big time."
"He does so much for us on the back end," Jenner said. "The dirty work, blocking shots, he was doing it again tonight. And it was a heavy shot so [it was] great to see him get that one. He's been playing great for us. It's a big goal at a big time and we're pumped for him."
Gudbranson's ice time has also likely been a factor in his improvement. He's averaging 19:22 of time on ice this season, compared to the 21:17 he posted a year ago.
He's not going to be a top-pairing shutdown defenseman and he's not going to be a 50-point offensive defenseman either. Like Vincent said, he is who he is. A third-pairing defensive defenseman who also brings grit and physicality to the ice.
Gudbranson has been an important player this season and his bounce-back has been a reason for the team's 4-4-2 start.
