The Columbus Blue Jackets had been about to embark on an prolonged street journey. They may have simply missed the San Jose Sharks. Due to a fast begin and a superb first two intervals, the Blue Jackets averted the lure recreation.
James van Riemsdyk scored twice together with an empty netter whereas Kent Johnson added a objective and an help to raise the Blue Jackets to a stable 4-1 win over the Sharks on Thursday at Nationwide Enviornment. Their profitable streak now sits at six video games.
The story of this recreation was their enhancing protection persevering with to take strides.
Sport Recap
The Blue Jackets took management of the sport possession clever early. They finally broke by means of simply over 12 minutes into the sport.
Zach Werenski prolonged his home-points streak to 18 video games with a main help on Adam Fantilli’s eleventh objective of the season. The objective for Fantilli prolonged his factors streak to a career-high seven video games.
Then the Blue Jackets turned protection into offense to double their lead. Sean Kuraly created a turnover within the Sharks zone and located Johnson on the opposite facet. His shot squeaked by means of goalie Alexandar Georgiev to make it 2-0.
The Blue Jackets had been capable of lengthen to 3-0 within the second interval because of van Riemsdyk. From the slot, he deflected house a Damon Severson level shot. It felt like issues had been in management for the Blue Jackets as they held the Sharks to only two pictures within the second and eight complete for the sport within the first 40 minutes.
One development began creeping into the Blue Jackets’ recreation in direction of the top of the second. They took a pair of penalties together with one at 20 minutes of the second when Johnson sat for hooking.
This allowed the Sharks to achieve some momentum. This led to Tyler Toffoli’s objective to interrupt Elvis Merzlikins’ shutout bid. Rookie phenom Macklin Celebrini discovered Toffoli to chop it to 3-1.
Regardless of the Sharks pushing, the Blue Jackets had been capable of maintain them off. van Riemsdyk transformed on his second objective of the night time into an empty internet to get to the ultimate rating of 4-1.
Earlier than this final stretch of video games, the Blue Jackets haven’t allowed two or much less targets in 4 consecutive video games since 2020. The protection has taken some main strides in current video games. Each Elvis Merzlikins and Kent Johnson acknowledged it’s the perfect the protection has regarded in current reminiscence. In response to Zach Werenski, “everybody’s simply shopping for into our system, our construction.”
Merzlikins stopped 18 to earn the win. Meaning every of the three goalies together with Daniil Tarasov and Jet Greaves have one win every over the past three video games. In the meantime, Georgiev made 30 saves for the Sharks.
The Blue Jackets subsequent play Saturday night time at Madison Sq. Backyard towards the New York Rangers. The Sharks head to New York as effectively to play the Islanders on Saturday night time.
