The good news: Hockey is back in Nationwide Arena.
The bad news: It didn't go well for the home side, as the Columbus Blue Jackets opened the preseason with a 5-2 loss to the visiting Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
The good news, again: It doesn't really count, and there was a lot to like about the Jackets' NHL players and what they brought to the table.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLACKHAWKS | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| BLUE JACKETS | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
IN A PARAGRAPH
After a solid first period in which the Blue Jackets largely carried play, Columbus fell victim to a Chicago onslaught of four unanswered goals in the second period. Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo had a night he'd likely prefer to forget, allowing five goals on 21 shots. The silver lining? A pair of goals by Seth Jones in the third period allowed "The Whip" to play for the first times all year.
NOTABLES
- While Zach Werenski often brings in the laurels for his elite offensive skill, Jones showed the impressive nature of his shot's power and accuracy with the team's two tallies.
- Defenseman David Savard also epitomized the team's attack-minded defense, making plays all over the ice. He finished with an assist and four shots on goal.
- The top power play included Werenski and Artemi Panarin often working together at the top of the zone, giving the team a double-barreled attack of elite shots. Werenski finished with five shots on goal and a few more blocked, while Panarin had three.
STAT ATTACK
Columbus went 1 for 9 on the power play while Chicago was 1 of 6. ... Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks made five saves on as many shots in the third period for the Blue Jackets in his debut. He is expected the spend the year in Cleveland. ... Chicago goaltender Anton Forsberg played the whole game in his return to Nationwide Arena and the former CBJ goalie had 38 saves. Chicago backup Matt Tomkins, who spent the last four years with Ohio State, did not see action. ... Former Miami (Ohio) forward and Rocky River, Ohio, native Carter Camper assisted on each Blue Jackets goal. ... Columbus held a 40-26 shot edge. ... Werenski and fellow defenseman Blake Siebenaler were each minus-3.
WHAT HAPPENED
Chicago got on the board first in the opening period, taking a 1-0 lead with a goal at 10:47 that closed an extended 5-on-3 for the Blackhawks. Cody Franson took a pass in the left circle and caught Korpisalo off-guard with a one-timer, driving a shot off the goaltender's body below the right arm and into the net.
Columbus had a number of chances through the first 25 minutes or so, many of its best on the power play, but couldn't solve Forsberg. The former Blue Jacket had perhaps his best-ever showing in Nationwide Arena and was at his peak early in the second, turning aside power-play chances from in close on Vitaly Abramov, Tyler Motte and Miles Koules.
Finally, the dam burst for Chicago in the second. The Blackhawks had made it 2-0 early in the period when Laurent Dauphin scored from in front on a pass from Tomas Jurco, then Chicago scored thrice in a 5:02 span of the second with another goal disallowed.
Moments after Korpisalo made a highlight-reel post-to-post save on Matthew Highmore, a shot by Jan Rutta went off the backboard and into the net off Korpisalo's skate at 12:18. Just 38 seconds later, Nick Schmaltz skated into the right circle on a rush and blew one past Korpisalo's blocker. Finally, at 17:20, Vinnie Hinostroza was left open in the slot and fired under the goalie's glove to make it 5-0.
Seth Jones got the first cannon blast of the season at 5:52 of the third, skating into the right circle and blowing the rebound of a Gabriel Carlsson shot by Forsberg before the goaltender could get reset. He added another goal with 3:19 left, scoring on the power play with an expertly placed snap shot from the top of the slot.
NEXT UP
Columbus continues the exhibition season on Wednesday with an 8 p.m. game at St. Louis.
