Are you still alive, Blue Jackets fans?
This team is fun as heck to watch right now, and this game in Boston was no exception.
Matt Duchene scored perhaps the biggest goal of his career, on the power play in the second overtime, to win Game 2 by a 3-2 final and send this series back to Columbus in a 1-1 tie.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT1 | OT2 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| BRUINS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Holy smokes, y'all.
After several spectacular saves from Sergei Bobrovsky in the first overtime – including some wild luck and incredible skill – the Blue Jackets got their big chance when Seth Jones was tripped up skating the puck out from behind his own net. A bad penalty for the Bruins to take, but an opportunity for the Blue Jackets. And they cashed it in.
Artemi Panarin, who scored twice in the game (we'll get to that), fired a one-timer on goal and the rebound laid in the crease for Duchene, who slammed it five-hole for the game-winning marker. After an awful first power play in overtime for the Blue Jackets, they made good on the second. It's a brand new series come Tuesday, and you better believe Nationwide Arena will be ready.
This game, as we expected, was a donnybrook right from the get-go. Straight up nasty on both sides.
Nothing the Blue Jackets can throw at the Bruins will be a surprise. This is an experienced opponent that's comfortable playing a fast and confrontational game, which is what the Blue Jackets want to bring (and what they brought in four games against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round).
Among the nasty, mostly-clean hits and post-whistle extracurriculars were some back-and-forth moments between both teams; the Bruins landed the first punch on the power play and the Blue Jackets answered in the second period with a power play goal of their own, Panarin's first of the night. He got a terrific pass in the wheelhouse and ripped a one-timer past Tuukka Rask to make it a 1-1 game, but the tie lasted only 58 seconds.
Let us get our daily Bread.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/KRjv8qlwxA
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 28, 2019
Charlie Coyle set up David Pastrnak for an accidentally-on-purpose redirect that gave Boston a 2-1 lead on the next shift. Then, the Blue Jackets had another response to tie the game, 2-2, on another Bruins turnover (and another Panarin goal).
It was a work of art, friends.
TOP SHELF BREAD.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/RZWUq5I2gM
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) April 28, 2019
Injury Update
Not many updates to report on the Blue Jackets' injured players. Ryan Murray is still out, Markus Nutivaara skated on Saturday morning but did not play in Game 2. Adam McQuaid remains sidelined with an upper body injury.
Next Up
A couple of days between Game 2 and 3, which will be Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena with Game 4 on Thursday.
