Scratch "Emil Bemstrom natural hat trick" off your Blue Jackets Bingo card.
As if this season couldn't get any more bizarre, right?
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| PREDATORS | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
This game felt like the standard late-stages snoozer. Columbus fell behind 3-0 after two periods to the Nashville Predators, a team desperately trying to lock down the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division.
Suddenly, it was no longer nap time in the Arena District.
With the Dallas Stars charging, the Predators needed this game and the Blue Jackets gave them everything they could handle. After a back-and-forth third period and overtime, Roman Josi scored the game-winner late in 3-on-3 to give Nashville a crucial second point as it closes in on a playoff spot.
But this game could've been over long before it was, if not for Bemstrom. He was noticeable right from the get-go and then, things got wild in the third period.
HAT TRICK FOR EMIL BEMSTROM AND IT'S ALL TIED UP!!!
— Bally Sports Columbus (@BallySportsCBUS) May 4, 2021
3-3 #CBJ!!! pic.twitter.com/CgU2brfqmx
Bemstrom's third-period hat trick rallied the Blue Jackets from that three-goal deficit, tying the game at 3-3 at 15:07 (a power play goal, too!). The limited-capacity crowd at Nationwide Arena threw their hats. They roared. Everything seemed normal for a few minutes, before the game moved on to overtime.
Bemstrom is the first Blue Jacket to score three goals in a period since Jeff Carter–remember him?–did it Dec. 22, 2011 in Nashville.
Injury Update
Joonas Korpisalo missed tonight's game with a lower body injury. He joins Boone Jenner, Zach Werenski, and Gus Nyquist as regulars to miss this game.
Next Up
The Blue Jackets and Predators will do it again Wednesday night, 7 p.m. at Nationwide Arena.
