The Blue Jackets got two points in the standings and a feather in their cap with a dominant 5-1 win tonight, but John Tortorella came away with something else in the wake of last night’s win.
“I found some lines tonight,” he told the media after the game.
The Jackets have juggled their lines quite a bit as they look for consistency. The Panarin-Wennberg-Atkinson line was exciting on paper, but never quite found its stride on the ice – and briefly got broken up earlier this year, with Nick Foligno getting bumped up to that top line.
Tortorella tinkered with the lines ahead of Wednesday’s game. Those changes didn’t last as the Jackets struggled in the first period, to the tune of a meager 36.1% 5-on-5 Corsi. But instead of reverting to what the lines were, he shook everything up even more, and the Jackets caught fire.
From the second period on, the Jackets were a 60.2% Corsi team at 5-on-5.
That top line that looked so good on paper? Those three players got split up to three different lines. Josh Anderson and Matt Calvert – two players who were penciled in for fourth-line duty at the start of the season – got opportunities in the top six. Both players ran with those roles, each lighting the lamp in what became a Blue Jackets rout.
The resulting lines actually ended up crushing it last night – here's what they looked like.
| Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Artemi Panarin | Nick Foligno | Josh Anderson |
| Matt Calvert | Alexander Wennberg | Oliver Bjorkstrand |
| Boone Jenner | Brandon Dubinsky | Cam Atkinson |
| Sonny Milano | Zac Dalpe | Pierre-Luc Dubois |
That’s certainly not a top-heavy attack. Nine different forwards notched a point last night, and four of the Blue Jackets goals came at even strength.
The new-look lines had a blend of scoring ability and defensive responsibility. The defensemen embraced their “safe is death” mantra, leading directly to two more goals on the rush. At long last (or, more accurately, for the third time this season), the Jackets were a well-oiled machine.
“We scored the goal, and from there in the first period, we did nothing right,” said Tortorella on what made him switch up the lines. "We did nothing with a workman-like attitude. Nothing."
That “workman” attitude was certainly there after the line changes – perhaps because it’s more spread out throughout the lineup.
"No no no no nooooooUGH." Sam Reinhart. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/0w5YD83aJa
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 26, 2017
Anderson brings size and energy to the top line. His ability to win battles along the boards compliments Foligno’s game, and his size could create valuable space for Panarin. Calvert adds a more aggressive element to the Wennberg line, and has the speed to keep up with Bjorkstrand. Jenner’s presence alongside Dubinsky and Atkinson could make that the most well-rounded line on the team, assuming Dubinsky’s game picks up in the coming weeks. That fourth line isn't too shabby, either, putting high-ceiling players (Milano, Dubois) alongside Zac Dalpe as he fills in for Lukas Sedlak, limiting their ice time but letting them function as an energy line.
Don’t be surprised if these lines stick together for a while – or if they get broken up at the first sign of trouble. The “safe is death” mantra doesn’t just apply to the players; if it’s not working, Tortorella has no problem shaking things up. That approach certainly worked tonight.
“You can get criticized for changing lines – I’m not going to sit there and watch lines struggle to make plays or over-pass,” he said. "I found some lines there tonight, I liked what I saw.”
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