The Blue Jackets got back to their game on Monday night with a win over the NHL-leading Washington Capitals.
A little more than 24 hours later, they faced the NHL's worst team on the road in Detroit, and had a much tougher time putting the game away. The Red Wings' speed is always an issue, but these two teams play bizarre games against each other – games that don't truly end until the final whistle.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| RED WINGS | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Not until former Red Wing Gus Nyquist sent a 100-foot empty netter down the ice for a fifth Columbus goal could the Blue Jackets truly exhale. They controlled play for most of the game but the Red Wings were opportunistic, and found a way to keep this game tied 3-3 heading into the third period.
Kevin Stenlund scored his first NHL goal, Cam Atkinson found the net again, Oliver Bjorkstrand scored a beauty, and P-L Dubois got the game-winner (his team-leading 11th goal of the season) in a 5-3 Columbus win at Little Caesars Arena.
PLD WITH THE LASER.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/MF10LyVsx8
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) December 18, 2019
Joonas Korpisalo made his second start in as many days and didn't receive much help from his teammates early on, as the Red Wings scored three times on their first six shots. From there, the Blue Jackets tightened up defensively and didn't give Detroit much of a sniff the rest of the way.
Injury Update
Zach Werenski returned from a shoulder injury to play in this game and was paired alongside his usual partner, Seth Jones. Andrew Peeke left this game in the second period after blocking a shot off his hand and did not return.
Next Up
The Blue Jackets are back in action on Thursday night at Nationwide Arena when they face the Los Angeles Kings. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
