Scoring three goals in under three minutes, the Columbus Blue Jackets came from behind in dramatic fashion to get to overtime before falling to the Vancouver Canucks, 5-4. If the Florida Panthers lose Monday, the Blue Jackets can clinch a playoff berth Tuesday.
Here's the reaction from John Tortorella and company following the game.
John Tortorella
On the game: "We weren't fast, we were off. But I thought some guys stepped up in a big way, obviously, at the end of the game. That power play goal gave us some juice, and we made some big plays. Give Vancouver some credit. They're fast, they play hard. As I said after the Calgary game, they're proud athletes in our game."
On scrapping for points: "It's the third game of our trip, it seems like we've been on the road trip for about two months. I like the way we responded to find a way to get a point. I don't think in the past couple games a bunch of our minutes have been good, but we're still finding a way to get points."
On if every game counting drains the energy of a team: "It's hard, and you're playing against teams that want to knock you off. I thought Vancouver played with great structure tonight. We had a tough time getting in the middle of the ice. So yeah, the pressure wears on ya, and we do have a little bit of sickness going through the team."
On losing Markus Nutivaara during the game: "He's a big part of our back end. That's why he's playing there as far as the puck movement and gettin' us out."
On Nutivaara's injury: "It's just an upper-body strain, I'm not sure where. He'll be fine."
On flipping forwards throughout the game: "[The offense] was stale. It wasn't fast, it wasn't crisp, we certainly didn't get to the middle of the ice. I think it helped us in the third period, it gave us some juice."
On Artemi Panarin: "I didn't think [Panarin] was good at all through the game, but then I thought he tried to put the team on his shoulders, some great plays there to get us the point."
On the overtime: "Quite honestly, we need a save in the overtime. I'm anxious to see [Sonny Milano] and [Oliver Bjorkstrand] goin' out next. I'm anxious to see them play three-on-three. I just felt that we were gonna win that hockey game."
On Joonas Korpisalo: "Was a little inconsistent from the [second period onward]. I'm not puttin' it on him, 'cause I just don't think we played with enough pace tonight at all."
Pierre Luc-Dubois
On whether this loss is any easier to swallow because of the comeback: "Maybe, but for me personally a loss is a loss."
On the second period: "It was a weird period. I don't know how many faceoffs there were, how many pucks in the stands, pucks in the offsides. I mean it's tough sometimes to get the momentum going to get a rhythm going, but we just gotta keep battling through it I guess."
Seth Jones
On the game: "We didn't play a very good game at all for most of that game. We played about maybe eight, ten minutes of good hockey there."
