A night after a sloppy and heavy-legged preseason opener, the Columbus Blue Jackets iced a different lineup and found a different result.
The game was, by all accounts, fairly messy (as they tend to be only a week into training camp) but the Blue Jackets emerged with their first exhibition win, a 4-1 final over the Chicago Blackhawks.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| BLACKHAWKS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Alexander Wennberg scored a goal and added an assist, while Cam Atkinson, Zac Dalpe and Liam Foudy also tallied for Columbus. J-F Berube, pegged to be the Cleveland Monsters' No. 1 goalie this season, got the start for the Blue Jackets and stopped 14 of 15 shots before giving way to Joseph Raaymakers.
There was little flow or pace to the game, but a line of Nick Foligno, Wennberg and Atkinson played well and produced some of the game's more exciting moments. They looked cohesive on the power play, created chances in the offensive zone, and appeared fairly sharp despite the volume of skating they've done early in camp.
Columbus carried a 2-1 lead into the third period and Atkinson's goal added the insurance marker only 36 seconds in. He took a pass from Wennberg in the slot, had just enough room to let a shot go and beat Collin Delia to the long side.
Eric Robinson, a college free agent who joined the Blue Jackets last spring out of Princeton University, also had a strong showing while playing on a line with Kevin Stenlund and Kole Sherwood.
Foudy, the Blue Jackets' first-round pick in 2018, scored his first preseason goal off a Josh Anderson pass from behind the net with 1:53 remaining in regulation.
Injury Update
There's some concern about the status of defenseman Ryan Murray, who had played well before leaving with an injury early in the third period. He was tangled up behind the Columbus net and remained on the bench for a few minutes, consulting with Blue Jackets athletic trainers, before heading back to the dressing room.
Next Up
The Blue Jackets have a couple of days without preseason action, as they'll head to St. Louis on Friday night to take on the St. Louis Blues.
