Three Stars and Game in One Picture – EDM @ CBJ

Going in to Friday’s game, Edmonton had 47 points, good enough for second worst in the league. Columbus had 62 and is 13th in the East. The two teams took 65 minutes plus to settle things but when the dust settled, the Jackets came out on top off a shootout goal from Alexander Wennberg…a goal that will never show in his official stats, but will be remembered as a first NHL game winning goal. When the three stars came out per NHL.com, they honored that line, that beautiful line of Hartnell-Wennberg-Dano that has been a revelation…

So here’s the nitty gritty. First and foremost, here’s how the NHL handed out star honors last night:

3rd Star: Scott Hartnell (1-0-1 / 20-27-47 – season)

2nd Star: Marko Dano (1-1-2 / 5-5-10 – season)

1st Star: Alexander Wennberg (0-2-2, Shootout goal / 2-11-13 – season)

But as I sat down to write about the stars I thought it’s perhaps more valuable to look at the line in and of itself in terms of what it is doing for this team. Since being assembled 5 games prior when Washington came to town, the combination of the two rookies, and first round picks plus the gritty veteran has dominated almost every game in which it has played.

In the six games since coming together, this line has combined for eight goals and seven assists. Hartnell has has two multi-goal games and four games with goals (including one game winner). Dano has had two goals, and Wennberg had a multi-assist game last night.

Something is clicking with this combination. In 22 games played for the team, Dano has leapt to the top of the team for even strength possession with a 55.2% corsi for. Hartnell is fifth with 51%.  And the team’s goal differential since the line has been put together is +1 in goal differential. The team is 4-2-0 and three of their games were positive for the Jackets in terms of possession including a whopping 70% against Colorado.

The 43-41-56 line is consistently the leading line in point production and shot generation. They’re also playing well defensively. Each player has had only one game since being put together that they were negative in Corsi For +/-. So when these guys are on the ice, the Jackets are getting more shots and their opponents are getting less.

Sure six games is a small sample size. Sure one could argue that the engine here is Hartnell who has made a lot of lines better this season. But there’s some special alchemy happening with these guys. Is it the physical play of Dano and Hartnell combined with Wennberg’s ridiculous vision and skill? Is it Dano’s do or die attitude that pushes play down the ice and fits so nicely with Hartnell’s crash and bang style?

There’s a lot of analysis that can be done, and there’s plenty of words to be written on the subject still – and hey, this is meant to be a short little recap of the game.

But while you can single out Dano’s initial goal less than a minute in, Hartnell’s tying goal in the final frame of regulation, or Wennberg’s shootout beauty, if that’s all you did you’d be missing the point. Something is happening with this combo – enjoy it. It’s pretty darn special.

Next up – Carolina comes to town. Based on an optional skate Saturday, it sounds like Brandon Dubinsky is feeling better and may return to the lineup. Who knows what happens next…but while this line lasts, watch the magic happen!