Blue Jackets Honor Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, Fall Short To Panthers In Emotional Home Opener

By Will Chase on October 15, 2024 at 10:03 pm
Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (23) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Nationwide Arena.
© Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
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It was an emotional home opener unlike any other for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

With the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in town, both the Blue Jackets and Panthers paid tribute to fallen brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau, with each team wearing jerseys featuring 'Gaudreau' and Johnny's No. 13 during pregame warmups.

Columbus entered Tuesday's game following Saturday's 6-4 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday in Denver. The Panthers were in Boston on Monday afternoon, beating the Bruins 4-3. Captain Aleksander Barkov (lower-body injury) and Matthew Tkachuk (illness) did not play for Florida. Adam Boqvist made his return to Columbus after signing a one-year deal with Florida in the off-season.

With both teams looking to make it two in a row, here's how it all went down:

1st Period

(19:44 — Opening face-off):

The first 20 minutes featured no score between the clubs. Florida held the slim margin in shots 8-7.

  1 2 3 F
CBJ 0 3 1 4
COL 0 2 1 3
GOALS: Sillinger, Monahan, van Riemsdyk

ASSISTS: Johnson, Chinakhov, Marchenko, Severson, Labanc

Columbus killed off two Florida penalties and was working on killing their third of the period after Jordan Harris went to the box at 19:04 for high-sticking.

2nd Period

(0:44 — 1-0 CBJ): The Blue Jackets' penalty kill was among the bright spots and thanks to Cole Sillinger, provided the first goal of the game inside the first minute of the second period.

The goal was Sillinger's first of the season and the first short-handed goal of his career. Kent Johnson picked up the assist after his backhand pass sprung Sillinger for the breakaway goal. Johnson has four points (two goals, two assists) and a three-game point streak.

FLORIDA GAME STATS COLUMBUS
22 SHOTS 38
42.6% FACEOFF % 57.4%
0/3 POWER PLAY 0/2
2/2 PENALTY KILL 3/3
25 HITS 17
23 GIVEAWAYS 10
8 TAKEAWAYS 7
13 BLOCKED SHOTS 13
DATA VIA ESPN

(10:25 — Tied 1-1): Florida answered quickly to tie the game 1-1. Anton Lundell's third of the season was assisted by Sam Reinhart and Nate Schmidt.

(11:22 — 2-1 CBJ): If one player was going to score for the Blue Jackets, it's only right that it would be Sean Monahan — Gaudreau's best friend and former teammate in Calgary — in his home debut to boot. Monahan's goal was his second tally in as many games for the Blue Jackets to give Columbus their second lead of the game.

Yegor Chinakhov and Kirill Marchenko added the assists. Monahan was 20-of-26 in the face-off circle on the night.

(11:59 — Tied 2-2): All it took was 37 seconds before the Panthers once again evened the score.

Dmitry Kulikov scored his first off a deflection, with assists to Niko Mikkola and Lundell.

(19:58 — 3-2 FLA): With 1.6 seconds remaining in the second period, the Panthers claimed their first lead of the game with Reinhart getting the goal as part of a three-point night. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett had the assists.

Columbus was scoreless on their first power play of the game in that middle frame. The Jackets outshot the Panthers 17-8. Erik Gudbranson left the game due to an upper-body injury after colliding with Monahan and did not return.

3rd Period

(15:12 — 4-2 FLA): Eetu Luostarinen scored to increase the third-period lead to two goals. Reinhart and Mikkokla picked up the assists.

Dean Evason pulled Elvis Merzlikins with 4:28 left in the third period hoping to spark a comeback.

(17:21 — 4-3 FLA): James van Riemsdyk did his part to oblige, scoring his first goal as a Blue Jacket to pull the team within one. Damon Severson and Kevin Labanc added assists.

Columbus peppered Spencer Knight with 38 shots but Knight and the Panthers came away with the 4-3 win. The Jackets outshot Florida 16-6 in the third.

In 5v5 play, the Blue Jackets held the edge in expected goals 2.06-1.13 per Natural Stat Trick.

Next Up

The Blue Jackets continue their four-game homestand when they take on the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

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