Behind two goals from rookie Sonny Milano, the Columbus Blue Jackets improved to 2-1 on the season with a 2-1 overtime win against Metropolitan Division rival Carolina on Tuesday night in Raleigh.
While Carolina (1-1) is thought around the league to be an up-and-coming squad, just 7,892 were in attendance for a largely sleepy affair.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| HURRICANES | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
IN A PARAGRAPH
In an even game for the most part, Carolina dominated overtime until Milano put a breakaway past Scott Darling with 31 seconds to go to clinch the win for the Blue Jackets. Columbus took the lead at the midway point of the third behind Milano, but Jeff Skinner's goal with 1:25 to play secured overtime for the home squad.
Milano. Top Shelf. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/RUCsjCiFe1
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 11, 2017
NOTABLES
- Milano had a strong game even before his goals, setting up Markus Hannikainen on a first-period chance and using his speed and creativity to create enough chances to move up from the fourth line in the second period.
- Sergei Bobrovsky made 37 saves, five of which came on an overtime power play for the Hurricanes.
- Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin twice drew penalties in the opening 40 minutes to give Columbus power-play chances and also hit the post on a shot on the power play in the third.
STAT ATTACK
Milano is the first Blue Jacket since Kristian Huselius (2010-11) to score in three straight games to open a season. ... ... Nick Foligno had an assist for the third straight game to open the season. ... Bobrovsky went 118:35 to start the season without allowing a goal before Carolina's late equalizer. ... Columbus played its first overtime game of the season. ... Columbus had an advantage in hits, 32-20. ... Josh Anderson played 13:39 of ice time in his season debut, posting a shot on goal and two hits.
WHAT HAPPENED
For the opening two periods, a whole lot of nothing as neither team was able to get on the scoreboard. There were chances, sure – each team had a power play in each of the first two periods, not to mention 20 shots apiece – but both Bobrovksy and Darling were perfect through the opening 40 minutes.
Among the chances for the Jackets in that time were a 2-on-1 stop by Bobrovsky on Teemo Teravainen on a 2-on-1 less than two minutes in, though Darling was equal to the task on a short-handed odd-man rush by the CBJ later in the period when the handle of his stick stopped a shot by Matt Calvert.
In the second, Bobrovsky stopped Janne Kuokkanen on the doorstop, but Darling replied near the end of the frame with an awkward stop when David Savard followed up on a loose puck.
Best chance of the game so far for the #CBJ.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 11, 2017
Scoreless heading into the third. pic.twitter.com/t3dircSWPK
In the third, the Blue Jackets had an early power play and nearly took advantage as a puck came free to Panarin with a large part of the cage open, but his chance at his first goal in a Columbus sweater hit the post and ricocheted away.
Finally, with 9:59 to go, Milano broke the scoreless deadlock. Nick Foligno won a faceoff at the left dot and Oliver Bjorkstrand fired wide, but Milano swooped behind the net and fired the puck from a bad angle off the pad of Darling and into the net.
With six minutes to go, a puck went off a stick behind the net and popped out perfectly to Carolina's Jordan Staal, but Bobrovsky stood tall and smothered the chance.
Finally, Carolina was able to get on the board and tie the score at 1 with 1:25 to play. A high clearing attempt by Hannikainen was knocked down by Skinner, and the talented forward collected with plenty of time and space and fired past Bobrovsky.
Panarin was called for hooking 1:01 into overtime as Staal cut to the net looking for a pass, but Bobrovsky stood strong to prevent the winner. Finally, as the clock ticked down, consecutive missed shots by Zach Werenski of Columbus and Sebastian Aho of Carolina led to back-to-back odd-man rushes, with Milano making no mistake to bury the winner by drawing Darling down before roofing a backhander.
INJURY REPORT
Carolina defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk did not play because of a concussion.
NEXT UP
Columbus returns home to take on the Metro Division rival New York Rangers on Friday night at Nationwide Arena.
