Two lapses.
That's the difference between the Blue Jackets getting out of Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Bruins with a clawback win and the result they ultimately received, a 3-2 overtime loss to Boston.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| BRUINS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Charlie Coyle potted his second of the game 5:15 into the extra session for the Bruins winner. The goal came on a slick pass from Marcus Johansson leading Coyle to an empty backdoor, but it's more about what led up to it, rather than it.
Thinking the play was offside, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski slowed up in his own defensive zone, before watching his man, Coyle, win it. After a brief review by the league, the play was ruled onside and the goal good.
Letting up for just one second can mean the difference between a win and a loss in overtime. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/BDB8qKgtk5
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 26, 2019
That was the second costly lapse of the night for the Blue Jackets.
Bruins center Noel Acciari got Boston on the board at 10:34 of the opening period when he jumped on a puck mishandled by Alexandre Texier and Pierre-Luc DuBois and beat Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to make it 1-0.
It was one goal in a period dominated by the Bruins, who came out like a team that had just played playoff hockey two days ago, swarming and outshooting the Blue Jackets 14–4 in that period.
“You saw our struggles in the first,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “We couldn't handle the tempo of the game. We just weren't thinking quick enough. It was just too quick for us.”
In the middle period, the Jackets started to get their legs under them and control play for stretches. Tested and rested, playing out against each other as many expected.
The second saw no scoring, despite Josh Anderson hitting a post that came tantalizingly close to tying the game. The teams hit the second intermission with Boston holding that 1-0 lead, but matters would change in the third.
At 7:39 into the final period, Riley Nash deflected a pass masquerading as a shot from Seth Jones beating Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask to tie the game. The goal was originally credited to Nash, who was brilliant on the play but caught just enough of Brandon Dubinsky for his first of the playoffs.
Riley Nash: Sleeper Cell activated.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/hywGOOVnfj
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 26, 2019
Thirteen seconds later, the Blue Jackets struck again when an Artemi Panarin blast from just inside the blue line bounced off of DuBois and into the net for the center's second of the playoffs and a 2-1 Jackets lead.
Initially looks like Panarin's goal but it goes off Dubois. What a couple of shifts.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/IFQRfIqjEH
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 26, 2019
Boom. Boom.
The game looked like it might play out like the Blue Jackets' first-round opener in Tampa, with the Jackets answering an opening period shortie from their opponent, but the Bruins got the equalizer on a Coyle goal with just under five minutes to play.
TIED AGAIN!
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) April 26, 2019
4 minutes to play. #CBJvsBOS here: https://t.co/YugQLbt0jn pic.twitter.com/XPCRqGgnoe
Seth Jones had taken his eye off of Coyle just long enough for the Boston native to slide into the left circle and beat Bobrovsky – who was otherwise stellar, stopping 34 of the 37 shots he faced – low, stick-side.
“I thought he was driving backdoor, but I've got be aware there,” Jones would say. ”It's just a shitty—blown coverage by me.”
Another Johansson to Coyle special. Two momentary lapses.
“We had our struggles in the first but found our game for a number of minutes there,” Tortorella said. “We just couldn't finish the game.”
Game Notes
- The Blue Jackets played in their first overtime game of the 2019 postseason and moved to 4–4 all-time in postseason overtimes.
- Columbus set a club record for the fastest two goals in a playoff game with goals 13 seconds apart in the third period. It broke the previous record of goals 19 seconds apart against Tampa Bay in Game 4.
- The Blue Jackets improved to 9-of-10 on the penalty kill this postseason. The power play went 0-of-4 on the night, and is now 5-of-14 in the postseason, leading all teams (35.7%).
- With an assist, Artemi Panarin has points in all five Blue Jackets playoff games. He's 4-4-8 in 10 career playoff appearances.
- Seth Jones picked up two assists for his second-straight multi-point outing (1-3-4).
Injury Update
Werenski took a third-period slapshot to the palm of his hand and was seen icing it on the bench, though he did return to the game.
Ryan Murray (upper body), Adam McQuaid (upper body) and Markus Nutivaara (upper body) remain on the injured list for Columbus.
Next Up
The Blue Jackets and Bruins will meet in Boston for Game 2 Saturday. The puck drops at 8 p.m. for the game, which will be broadcast nationally on NBC.
