The Columbus Blue Jackets left for the Sunshine Copper State with their proverbial tails between their legs after a 5-1 drumming at the hands of the NHL leading Dallas Stars. After a closed door players meeting and a snappy Bran Dubisnky, they sucked it up and played an entertaining yet supremely flawed game against another bad team in the Arizona Coyotes.

The Jackets and Coyotes played tug of war for a solid two periods before the Jackets finally eked out a lead. It got as large as 2, but on route to their first two points in what seems like forever the Jackets put up a season high 7 goals on a head shaking nineteen shots on net.

Winners:

Fans:

If the coaches in the audience and on the bench were pulling out their hairs, it was worth it for an exciting back and forth affair, with a total of 11 goals scored before Dubinsky’s empty netter, the game was a roller coaster with a reason to keep watching. Clarkson scored. Atkinson scored. Foligno scored! Lots of goals. It’s always fun!

The Blue Jackets:

Yeah yeah, they won the game. But more than that, the Jackets went to work tonight with the loss in Dallas on their minds and whatever was uttered in the cold – WOOOOOO – confines of the American Airlines Center – WOOOOOOOO – dressing room motivated them to play offense well but defense not particularly well. It works for the – WOOOOOOOO – Stars, right? They’re pretty good!

Cam Atkinson, Brandon Saad and Alexander Wennberg:

With a goal and 2 assists each tonight, the struggles of the previous few games washed away into few chances and many finishes. Who doesn’t like seeing these guys light it up?

Losers:

Goalies:

I don’t think it really needs to be detailed how bad the goalies’ stats were in this one. Curtis managed to put up a…..passable .844 (OK, not really) but the Coyotes pairing of Lindback (.600) and Domingue (.800) were embarrassing. Bigger nets though!

Ryan Johansen:

I really hope John Tortorella doesn’t get smug or happy that he scratched one of his best players when the team won him a game. The situation with number 19 is dangerous and I don’t want any ammo for people calling for Joey’s head down the line. We’ve told you how good Johansen is. He should be playing.

The Jackets play Saturday in Columbus against the Philadelphia Flyers, a rematch of the last good game the Jackets put together earlier this month. Cross your fingers and hope for another Christmas miracle: A David Clarkson Hockey Goal(tm)!