It has been well documented what has happened to teams playing in the first game after a bye week. But in a season where the Blue Jackets have bucked the trends when it came to where people thought they ranked in the league, how many games they’d win, and the way they’d play to do it, the boys in union blue decided to thumb their nose at tradition one more time and provide a commanding 7-0 win over the New York Islanders in their first post-bye matchup.
Injuries to Matt Calvert and Lukas Sedlak had the Jackets facing new forward combinations, most notably putting Brandon Saad with Sam Gagner and Scott Hartnell, but all four lines responded (and received ample playing time) and ten different Jackets players got on the scoresheet, while young Mr. Joonas Korpisalo got his first NHL shut out and fifth win of this season.
Perhaps what was the best part of the game was that has the Jackets rolled offensively, the air of “what is going on in Columbus?!?!” that was so prominent as the team surged to notoriety this season was largely missing. Could this be a situation where games like this are becoming the norm? Would seem to be a trait of a team that is actually good.
Let’s take a look at the superlatives.
The Dominant. David Savard.
Sometimes it seems like it’s hard to be a defenseman. And it’s particularly hard to be a defensemen for the Blue Jackets. In previous years the blue line was much maligned and this season, even with the team’s winning ways and defensive improvement, the majority of the attention for the d-corps has gone (deservedly) to Zach Werenski and Seth Jones. But David Savard and Jack Johnson, now the team’s second pair, have done nothing but perform exceptionally this season.
Last night David Savard didn’t just prevent shots and goals against, (he had the second best Corsi +/- on the team (14). Johnson was +15) but he arguably served as backup on-ice goaltender providing key support off some rebounds. But again, that isn’t the type of behavior that might keep you in fans’ minds when your team puts up a ton of goals, so Savard decided to highlight what he can do with his first career three point night (1-2–3).
The Delightfully Rewatchable. Wennberg’s passing.
Alexander Wennberg was one of six Jackets to get multiple points last night, but there is nothing that encapsulates what he brings to this team more than this pass. I mean…seriously.
Watch it AGAIN!
Nick Foligno scores the third goal of the game but what a pass from Wennberg. We've heard that a few times, eh? 3-0 Jackets. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/EjTj4RAfgD
— Buckeye State Hockey (@BuckeyeStHockey) February 25, 2017
The Reassuring. Joonas Korpisalo.
Sergei Bobrovsky has played in 47 games for the Blue Jackets this year and it seemed a no-brainer that he would start this game…coming off a week of rest, Metro opponent, etc. So there was a brief catch among Jackets’ faithful when John Tortorella announced that Korpi would be starting in net.
The netminder did nothing but answer the call. The team and head coach credited him with big saves early to keep the team in the game as they found their post-break rhythm, and then he was justly rewarded with his first NHL shut out, stopping all 24 shots he faced.
As this team looks to be a significant part of the post-season conversation, it becomes easier to be more and more comfortable with the goaltending situation watching how Korpisalo has performed.
Tweet of the Game.
First time a team has scored 7 or more goals in a game on five separate occasions since Boston did it in 2009: https://t.co/X6GQ1jkpP6
— Catherine Silverman (@catmsilverman) February 26, 2017
There’s no rest for this team. They play the Rangers in another 5 p.m. matinee Sunday, making for an interesting “welcome back” gift of an all Metro back-to-back series and the start of three games in four days.
Bye bye, bye. Time for the stretch run.
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