Sergei Bobrovsky out-dueled Henrik Lundqvist in a 3-1 Blue Jackets win over the New York Rangers on Friday night at Nationwide Arena.
The Blue Jackets didn't have their best game through two periods, but they rallied with a dominant third period, scoring twice to pull away from their division rival.
Artemi Panarin scored his first goal as a Blue Jacket midway through the third period, a coast-to-coast effort that beat Lundqvist clean through the five-hole, giving the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead with 12:35 to play.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Rangers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
IN A PARAGRAPH
The Blue Jackets got off to a slow start, gathered themselves in the second period and were locked in a 1-1 game headed to the final 20 minutes. A clutch goal from their most dangerous player was the difference in a Metropolitan Division win, moving them to 3-1-0 on the season.
BREADMAN! #CBJ pic.twitter.com/RjlUo7NktM
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 14, 2017
NOTABLES
- Sergei Bobrovsky was fantastic and kept the Blue Jackets in the game, especially in the second period. He's given up just two goals in three games this season, and both were the product of turnovers that he didn't have much chance on. Bobrovsky is locked in and giving the team in front of him plenty of confidence.
- Panarin scored his first goal in a Blue Jackets sweater. It was a vintage Panarin move, a seemingly innocuous play that he turned into a goal. He carried the puck 150 feet into the offensive zone, shifting to the middle of the ice and snapping a shot through the pads of King Henrik.
- Zach Werenski and Seth Jones each added two-point games.
STAT ATTACK
Tonight was Nick Foligno's 700th career NHL game... Zach Werenski added two assists, giving him 50 career points... Seth Jones's goal gives him 30 in his NHL career... Panarin scored his first goal as a Blue Jacket in the third period.
WHAT HAPPENED
The game started off well, or so it seemed. Matt Calvert thought he had the game's opening goal just 27 seconds in, but a successful Rangers challenge for goaltender interference negated that.
The rest of the opening period was back and forth, with shots being 13-11 in favor of the Blue Jackets, but they found themselves down a goal. A sloppy turnover by Seth Jones just after time had expired on a Kevin Hayes penalty gave him a semi-breakaway, which he buried glove-side on Bobrovsky for a 1-0 lead.
The Jackets had two dominant shifts to close out the first period, but the momentum didn't carry over to the second period, with the Rangers getting the heavy majority of the chances. Bobrovsky was stellar in the second period, turning away all 18 Rangers shots that came his way.
Bob is keeping the Blue Jackets in this one. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/NWHbCygVPK
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 14, 2017
With just 46 seconds left in the second stanza, Seth Jones atoned for his mistake, taking a Zach Werenski cross-blueline pass and getting a fortunate bounce on a right-point wrist shot that found the back of the net.
Seth Jones ties things up, 1-1, late in the second period on this shot from the point. Setting up for a good third. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/1lx5WnZJ1H
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 14, 2017
The Blue Jackets opened up the third period with a 9-0 shot advantage in the first five minutes but came up empty. Later in the third, Panarin took a Seth Jones breakout pass and fired home the go-ahead goal.
INJURY REPORT
Early in the third period, Gabriel Carlsson left the game due to an upper body injury and did not return. He played just 9:43 total. In the second period, Zach Werenski took an awkward hit and appeared to get the wind knocked out of him, but he returned to play shortly after.
NEXT UP
The Blue Jackets have a quick turnaround, as they fly to Minnesota to take on the Wild tomorrow night at Xcel Energy Center (8 p.m.).
