Film Session: Columbus Blue Jackets Defensemen Showcase In Offensive Role In Win Over The Philadelphia Flyers

By Dan Dukart on April 8, 2024 at 10:15 am
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Nick Blankenburg celebrates his goal against the Philadelphia Flyers
Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports
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The Columbus Blue Jackets put on a clinic on modern offensive zone contributions from their D-corps in a 6-2 win Saturday night over the Philadephia Flyers.

Defensemen scored all six goals, tying an NHL record from Dec. 4, 1992, when the Washington Capitals defensemen accounted for six of their goals in an 8-4 win over the New York Rangers. Thirty-plus years later, and go figure that it's this version of the Blue Jackets that ties the record. Erik Gudbranson led off the scoring, followed by a pair from Damon Severson, a seeing-eye shot from Nick Blankenburg. Zach Werenski finished off the night with two of his own.

The goals, all of which were assisted by at least one forward, showcased the orchestra of defense and offense in perfect harmony. On many of the goals, it was a forward who did some version of the dirty work - either by setting up the pass, throwing the puck on net for a rebound, or making life difficult on Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson. 

There is still a long way to go, and the irony of not mentioning the loss against Carolina is not lost on me. Just one night later, the Hurricanes battery of forwards and defensemen showcased a different side of the same full-team cohesion, as the Hurricanes stifling forecheck and neutral zone defense proved suffocating. 

But on this night, it wasn't hard to imagine a more actualized version of this Blue Jackets roster seeing similar contributions on a more regular basis. The only two defensemen who didn't tally goals - David Jiricek and Ivan Provorov - have enough offense in their respective games to provide a similar impact.

The first goal was about as basic a play as you'll see. Two Blue Jackets forwards hunted the puck and got it back to the point to Gudbranson, who fired a low and hard shot that found a hole through traffic.

The next goal showed Werenski doing what he does best, which is rover in the offensive zone. With him carrying the puck low and behind the net, the Flyers defense collapsed into a shell. He made a great royal-road pass to find Severson wide open for the one-timer.

The Flyers, who are typically a tighter defensive team than they showed on Saturday, were a mess on goal #3. Severson and Johnny Gaudreau played a two-man give-and-go while the Flyers puck-watched and chased. Severson did a great job to avail himself at a dangerous spot and away from the defense at a perfect time to wire home his second of the night.

Goal number four was my favorite play by a forward all night, as Kirill Marchenko, who didn't get an assist on the Blankenburg shot, should get all the credit. Watch as he got inside position to take away Ersson's eyes and somehow managed to 'Matrix' away from the puck on its way towards the net. Incredible display of talent.

A power-play goal from Werenski was another innocuous floater, but this one was off a double screen from Alex Nylander and Dimitri Voronkov, who was credited with the lone assist for winning the faceoff. 

The sixth goal was the goal that most embodies the current and future of hockey, and the one I'll spend the most time dissecting. The five players on the ice were in constant motion. It was genuine positionless hockey, as Werenski, the eventual goal scorer, is attacking downhill as center Brendan Gaunce is above the blue line and in the neutral zone at the time of the James Malatesta shot. Carson Meyer leaves the net-front, dragging the defender up into the slot, before funneling to the net as soon as the shot is released. Werenski called the play "kind of lucky as well", but then noted, "but that's what happens when you put pucks on net." 

Also worth mentioning is Severson, who started the play on the right wall by the blue line, and ended up rotating over to the left. The unit was in a perfect position to defend should something have gone awry, and was in a position to capitalize if a funny bounce happened.

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