The Columbus Blue Jackets tripped to Quebec returned with a win Tuesday, riding the masked man between the pipes and a Zach Werenski overtime goal to a 2-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| CANADIENS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
IN A PARAGRAPH
For the second game in a row, Columbus scored early and tried to nurse its lead to the finish line only to see the opponent tie the score in the third. This time, though, the Jackets didn't need a shootout, as Werenski scored just 1:09 into overtime to give the team the win.
NOTABLES
- Bobrovsky made 28 saves while improving to 10-4-1 on the year..
- Seth Jones played 25:45 and had five shots on goal, also hitting the post in the third period.
- Brandon Dubinsky filled up the stat sheet with an assist, six hits and a 17-7 mark in the faceoff circle.
STAT ATTACK
The Blue Jackets have scored four goals in regulation in the last four games. ... Werenski now has two career overtime winners. ... Bobrovsky has stopped 86 of 90 shots on goal in his last three starts, a .955 save percentage. ... Bobrovsky has allowed three goals in his last four starts vs. the Habs. ... The goaltender now has 191 career wins, 149 with the Jackets. ... Columbus improved to 7-3-1 when scoring first, 6-1 in overtime/shootout, 7-1 when leading after two periods, 6-0-1 in one-goal games and 8-3-1 against the Eastern Conference. ... Montreal goaltender Charlie Lindgren started his fifth game in a row with starter Carey Price (lower body) and backup Al Montoya (concussion) out. ... Montreal's Karl Alzner played in his 559th consecutive game, the fifth longest active streak in the NHL and the 15th longest in league history. ... The Blue Jackets are now 5-0-1 in their last six games against Montreal.
WHAT HAPPENED
Columbus wasted little time, for the second game in a row, in taking a 1-0 lead. This time around, Anderson got the goal 2:29 into the game thanks to some quick thinking. Markus Nutivaara's shot from the blue line hit a stick in front of the net then bounced off of Anderson's hand and chest, then fell perfectly for the Blue Jackets forward to whack past Lindgren for his seventh goal of the season.
In a game largely bereft of great scoring chances, Montreal created a doozy midway through the second. Jones tried to extend a long Jackets shift in the offensive zone with the team on the power play, but Paul Byron knocked the puck by him for a shorthanded breakaway. Bobrovsky stood tall, though, making the stop with the left pad to keep the Jackets in the lead.
After a second period that just had four total high-danger chances, two per side, Montreal started to put on the pressure in the third. Just 24 seconds into the period, Bobrovsky had to stand tall again. A turnover in the neutral zone by Boone Jenner allowed Charles Hudon to come in on an odd-man rush, but his slap shot was gobbled up by the goaltender's glove.
Moments later, Jonathan Drouin came in with some speed, but Bobrovsky was there again, and Bobrovsky had to be at the top of his game his game five minutes into the period when he slid from left to right and got his blocker, sans stick, on a 2-on-1 chance for Jacob De La Rose.
Yup. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/NGeUhKk8X2
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 15, 2017
Eventually, though, Montreal would notch the equalizer, going the full 200 feet to do it. An Alex Galchenyuk stretch pass found Shea Weber in full flight on the right wing; Bobrovsky kicked out the rebound of his shot, but Byron chipped the puck over his pad with 7:46 on the clock to make it 1-1.
From there, Columbus was able to shepherd the game to overtime, and it took just 1:09 for Werenski to get the winner, his fifth tally of the year. Cam Atkinson entered the zone with speed and curled to the right, drawing in the defense before feeding Werenski all alone, and the defenseman made no mistake with a clinical shot past Lindgren's glove to end the game.
Cam finds Werenski in space.
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 15, 2017
Werenski does the rest. Two points for the Jackets tonight. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/10meVhmn2D
INJURY REPORT
Center Alexander Wennberg did not play for the Jackets with what head coach John Tortorella termed a "body" injury.
#CBJ John Tortorella says Alexander Wennberg is day-to-day with a body injury. Then specifies: full body like a wine.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) November 14, 2017
In addition, Dubinsky was hit by a stick in the second period and was dripping blood. He returned quickly with gauze stuffed into his nose.
For Montreal, Max Pacioretty limped to the locker room early in the third period after blocking a shot but returned to the game shortly thereafter.
NEXT UP
The Blue Jackets return to action Friday as the team returns to Nationwide Arena in Columbus for a 7 p.m. game against the New York Rangers.
