That's more like it.
After the Blue Jackets were listless on Saturday night against the Hurricanes, they needed a big response on Monday night against the Stars.
Boy, did they ever get it.
Oliver Bjorkstrand got it going for the Blue Jackets in the first period. Jack Roslovic made a great play to win the puck, then he brought the puck through the neutral zone, deking his way past multiple Stars. Roslovic put the puck on Bjorkstrand's forehand, and the Danish sniper made no mistake, beating Braden Holtby and giving the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| STARS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
In the second period, Cole Sillinger thought he had given the Blue Jackets a 2-0 advantage with a backhander that trickled past Holtby. The goal was called good on the ice, but after a quick review, it was deemed that the entire puck did not cross the goal line. The fans at Nationwide Arena were not satisfied with the call, and let the referees hear it. Seconds later, Jakub Voracek was called for an offensive-zone penalty, and fans were even more upset.
On the ensuing penalty kill, Alexandre Texier hit the post and Elvis Merzlikins executed an excellent poke check to kill off Voracek's penalty. The building was buzzing, and it exploded when Gregory Hofmann notched his first NHL goal minutes later. Hofmann, who got his first chance to play in the Blue Jackets' top-six group tonight, certainly took advantage. His wrister beat Holtby and the Blue Jackets doubled their lead.
The night of firsts continued in the third period when Zach Werenski slammed the puck in the net to give the Blue Jackets a 3-0 lead. Sean Kuraly notched the primary assist on Werenski's goal, giving Kuraly his first point with his hometown team.
Tyler Seguin got one back for the Stars with 2:19 remaining, but that was as close as Dallas would get. Alexandre Texier added an empty-netter to put away the game.
Injury Update
Defenseman Adam Boqvist missed tonight's game with an injury, but the specific injury and timetable are unknown. Brad Larsen said Boqvist is "a little banged-up."
Next Up
The Blue Jackets will head to New York City to take on the Rangers on Friday night. Puck drop at Madison Square Garden is slated for 7:00 p.m. EST.
