{"id":641631,"date":"2017-03-11T22:28:49","date_gmt":"2017-03-12T03:28:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=641631"},"modified":"2017-03-11T22:28:49","modified_gmt":"2017-03-12T03:28:49","slug":"the-aftermath-game-67-blue-jackets-sabres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/the-aftermath-game-67-blue-jackets-sabres\/","title":{"rendered":"The Aftermath Game #67: Blue Jackets @ Sabres"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you survived tonight\u2019s hockey game without serious injury or significant penalty: congrats! You\u2019re lucky! For no apparent reason, the Blue Jackets and Sabres went from \u201ctypical Saturday game\u201d to \u201cangry rollercoaster of doom\u201d with very little warning. In the process, Buffalo managed to claw back from a 3-0 first period deficit and beat Columbus 5-3. As suggested by such an insane comeback, the journey was an absolute mess.<\/span><\/p>\n

The rough moments started early in the game, with Ryan Murray blocking a Buffalo shot off his hand, and leaving for the remainder of the game. Playing short one d-man didn\u2019t help matters, but didn\u2019t explain the late-game chaos.<\/p>\n

In the second period, everything went sideways. The Sabres tallied three goals, including one in the first minute, and another in the final minute. All the while, skaters from both teams lost their minds. A Dubinsky hit on Tyler Ennis seemed to uncork the vitriol, as Marcus Foligno tried to retaliate and stepped on Cam Atkinson\u2019s back in the process (Atkinson left the game for a time, but returned later). Then, Nick Foligno poked too much at the Buffalo goalie, and ended up in a tussle with Josh Gorges.<\/p>\n

At the tail end of the period, Sam Reinhart took a teammate\u2019s shot to the midsection and left the game in pain (although he did return in the 3rd). Then, after the second period ended, Hartnell got into a scuffle with both Zach Bogosian and Nic Deslauriers. That somehow meant 3 different misconduct penalties and<\/i> a Buffalo powerplay to start the third period.<\/p>\n

And then in the final frame, the mayhem continued. Jack Johnson took a high stick and bled (but no call against Buffalo). Cody Franson took a shot to the face and left the ice bleeding (eventually requiring the ice crew to scrape up the blood). Nick Foligno took a CBJ shot in the back, and left in pain.<\/p>\n

All the while, Buffalo just kept climbing back into the game, putting up five unanswered goals in the second and third periods. The game-winning Evander Kane dagger came on a powerplay, and Jack Eichel finished the night with an empty net goal.<\/p>\n

The Blue Jackets had complete control after 20 minutes, and those same Blue Jackets threw away an easy two points as their 3-0 lead evaporated. Saturday was not a fun night to watch pro hockey in Columbus.<\/p>\n

The Escalation: The Second Period Penalty Sheet<\/h3>\n

From the <\/span>NHL official Game Summary<\/span><\/a>, you\u2019ll note that things seemed normal in the first period. What an idyllic time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The penalty list isn\u2019t explanatory for either team\u2019s result. Rather, the penalties help show the kind of off-the-rails experience that evolved in the final 40 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Really Good: Robin Lehner<\/h3>\n

The star of tonight\u2019s game was the second goalie used by the Sabres. After Anders Nilsson gave up 3 goals in the first period, Lehner was called for the second and third. And Buffalo’s regular starter was excellent, going perfect on 24 shots against.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lehner\u2019s best of the game? This save on Cam Atkinson.<\/p>\n

\n

Robin Lehner just preserved the Sabres win with this save on Cam Atkinson in the closing moments of the 3rd. Dear lord. #CBJ<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/snydW4S52y<\/a><\/p>\n

— Sam Blazer (@Sam_Blazer) March 12, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n