There is something I Love about Columbus, Ohio. My first ever trip to 'Merica in 2011 involved a couple of days here to watch Newcastle United beat the Columbus Crew and I have been looking for a good enough excuse to come back ever since.
It's the Buckeye state with the huge college, Home of the 'Shoe' & Jeni's Ice Cream. How I love Jeni's Ice Cream.
This wasn't originally part of my itinerary but when my ride (Dan) taking me from Indy to St Louis was delayed 24 hours I seized my chance to return.
I had met Dan along with his son and a couple of his friends back in 2011 on my first visit here. The morning before the 'Soccer' game I dragged my friend Alan to the Nationwide Arena just so I could say I had been to my first ever NHL facility. Even though it was mid-July and there was no hockey to be seen, the staff there were so friendly they gave me a mini tour of the place and I actually was able to walk out onto center ice as they were preparing the venue for a music concert. Alan sporting an impressive black eye from collapsing drunk in Orlando two days earlier was on hand to take photos for me. I made a promise that day to the ladies on the front desk that I would return one-day to watch a game of hockey there. At the time I never thought more of it until a week before this game with New Jersey. I knew I had a spare day now and there was a game of hockey going on just a short Greyhound ride away. That pretty much made my mind up, right there and then.
The tickets for this game were a ridiculously cheap $10, that's about £6.20 in my money. To watch the Whitley Warriors in the English National League it is £8! yes that's right its cheaper to watch a game of NHL hockey than it is to watch a game in England now!
After the game I found myself a hockey bar that even served Labbatt Blue. The UK stopped selling Labbatts about 20 years ago so it capped of a good day.
Jack Johnson scored the OT game winner only 56 seconds into the extra period. Then he plowed over Ryan Johansen in his celebration, causing quite the giggle. The game was no beauty, the Devils' clutch and grab style does not allow style points, but it marked the first time since March 7 that the Blue Jackets have outshot an opponent. Brandon Dubinsky and Nick Foligno also scored for the Jackets. Dubinsky's goal came on a penalty shot, the first successful PK of his career. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves for his 26th win of the season. And yes I did jump out of my seat the first time the canon went off. It was also good to get to see Patrik Elias, a great player of the modern era.
Of course Scott Hartnell was playing too and once again I managed to capture a great picture of him with my camera.
Blue Jackets Quotes
Johnson said the Blue Jackets were fueled by the disappointment of allowing a late goal. "We didn’t get down at all. If anything we got mad giving up the shorthanded goal that late in the game. Our team reacted the right way. We want to show people what we’re all about. There’s a lot of pride in here. And even though we can’t change what’s already happened, we can control what’s next. So let’s win games. Let’s end this season in a good mood."Todd Richards: "You should be angry giving up a goal at that stage."
Brandon Dubinsky: "I really didn’t get a shot on the first opportunity because I was slashed. I was glad the ref called it. I beat [Schneider] blocker side the last time we played him and I had one there in the first period. He might be thinking I would go there again."
New Jersey Quotes
Mike Cammalleri: "I followed the play up and tried to stay with the puck,"
He knocked the puck out of the air and it settled in front of him. I gave it a whack with the backhand out of desperation."
Stars of the Game
1 Jack Johnson
2 Sergei Bobrovsky
3 Mike Cammalleri
Goals
1-0 - 19:04 - PPG Mike Cammalleri Asst: Eric Gelinas, Adam Henrique - Cammalleri’s power-play goal opened the scoring in the first.
1-1 - 21:49 - PPG Nick Foligno Asst: Alexander Wennberg, Ryan Johansen - Foligno scored his 27th goal when a New Jersey penalty was about to expire. He was parked in front and was able to get his stick on a shot by Alexander Wennberg to tie the score 1-1.
2-1 - 24:44 - PS Brandon Dunbinsky Asst: None - Dubinsky drew a penalty shot when a long rebound left by Bobrovsky came to him to start a breakaway. Stefan Matteau slashed Dubinsky twice on the left arm to try to prevent a scoring attempt. Moving slowly toward the goal, Dubinsky beat Schneider glove-side with a wrist shot for his 10th goal.
2-2 - 57:31 - SHG Mike Cammalleri Asst: Dainius Zubrus, Adam Larsson - Cammalleri squeezed the puck between the left post and Sergei Bobrovsky after the goalie denied a Dainius Zubrus breakaway.
3-2 - 00:56 OT - Jack Johnson Asst: David Savard, Ryan Johansen - Johnson scored his seventh goal, a backhand that went through a screen. Ryan Johansen got the secondary assist by going deep then passing the puck out to David Savard.
Stats
- Even after a win, the Blue Jackets lost. They were eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention despite a 3-2 overtime win against the New Jersey Devils at Nationwide Arena after the Boston Bruins defeated the Florida Panthers.
- New Jersey (31-33-13), were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday, have lost six straight games (0-4-2). They had not lost six straight since they went 0-4-3 to open last season.
- Nick Foligno's father Mike Foligno is a New Jersey assistant coach,
- Schneider has stopped eight of 10 attempts, including two of three this season.
- The Blue Jackets (37-35-4) recorded their seventh straight win.
- The Blue Jackets have won seven straight and 10 of 11, and they went 11-4-0 in March.
- Dubinsky’s penalty shot was the first of his 539-game NHL career and only the 12th awarded to a Blue Jacket during a home game in Nationwide Arena. Three of those have come this season, and Dubinsky joined Boone Jenner (Dec. 13 vs. Pittsburgh) in converting a penalty try in front of a home crowd. Dubinsky was slashed in the left hand by Stefan Matteau during a breakaway and beat Cory Schneider on the glove side to give the Jackets a 2-1 lead in the second period.
- The Blue Jackets have converted 10 of the 29 penalty shots in franchise history and five of 12 in Nationwide.
- The Blue Jackets won more games in March (11-4) than in any other month in franchise history. They won 10 games in a moth three times previously (10-2-4 in March 2013, 10-4 in March 2014 and 10-1-1 in Dec. 2014).
- Blue Jackets left wing Matt Calvert returned to the lineup after missing 15 games because of a concussion and a lingering neck injury. He clarified his use of a darkened helmet visor after the game. He said he began using at tinted visor when he experienced problems with light sensitivity during his recovery and developed an affinity for it. “Like a guy with a knee (injury) who still wears the brace, I got comfortable with it and decided I would keep wearing it,”
- Center Alexander Wennberg also returned to the lineup and had an assist on a Nick Foligno power-play goal that tied the score at 1 in the second period. Wennberg missed four games because of an infected right hand. Foligno is tied for 10th in the NHL with 11 power-play goals.
- The Blue jackets outshot the Devils 31-26 after being outshot by their opponent in each of their previous 10 games. The Blue Jackets went 9-1 during that stretch and have won 10 of their past 11.
- Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen had two assists to extend his point streak to eight games (three goals, eight assists). Johansen had point streaks the 10 and 13 games earlier this season. His 13-game streak is the longest in the NHL this season.
Penalties
| 1st Period | ||
|---|---|---|
| 08:09 CBJ | Cody Goloubef Hooking against Adam Henrique | |
| 17:49 CBJ | Jeremy Morin Roughing against Steve Bernier | |
| 19:51 NJD | Patrik Elias Tripping against Dalton Prout | |
| 2nd Period | ||
| 15:47 NJD | Travis Zajac Roughing against Marko Dano | |
| 3rd Period | ||
| 05:28 NJD | Scott Gomez Hi-sticking against Marko Dano | |
| 16:42 NJD | Patrik Elias Tripping against Kevin Connauton | |
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