The Columbus Blue Jackets dominate the Edmonton Oilers by the final score of 6-1 generating their best offensive start in franchise history. 33 goals in 8 games. What a start. However, the injury to Connor McDavid in the first period from a break-in rush that sent him down along the boards by Zach Werenski is the bigger story.

Let’s cover the incident involving two of the 2015 draft selection in the Top Ten first before going into the whole game results.

McDavid, the first overall draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers, is on a team that is going into this season as the easy gimme pick for the Stanley Cup for 2025. They are playing like a middle of the pack team when we know they will find their second gear and rush to the playoffs after Christmas.

Werenski, the eight overall pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, is on a team that has the ninth overall pick, Ivan Provorov as his defensive partner that could be moved way before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. This team had their star forward Johnny Gaudreau pass away at the end of August in an unimaginable tragedy by way of a drunk driving accident.

In the first period, Zach Werenski and Zach Hyman were engaged in a bench battle for the puck, while McDavid rushed passing Sean Monahan and Yegor Chinakov for the puck, when, Werenski reached out with his stick toward the puck. McDavid was tripped by the stick of Werenski and when backside down limbs out along the boards. The Oilers’ superstar got up on his own power but gingerly skated off to the Edmonton dressing room. The Oilers ran the rest of the game shorthanded with 11 forwards and 6 defensemen.

Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch came out after the game to say McDavid will head home to Alberta for further evaluation by the medical team. This means the club may only lose the face of the league for one game, but it may be more serious than he led on with his appearance on the camera.

As for the game recap, we got three goals in the first; one in the second; and three in the third. Columbus got six unanswered goals, with the Oilers scoring with 27 seconds left in the game.

Period I

Sean Monahan redirected a powerplay goal from a Kirill Marchenko shot counted as Monny’s fourth of the regular season. Marchenko and Werenski had the assists.

A crash the net sequence led to Adam Fantilli sneaking the biscuit between the five hole of Stuart Skinner for his third of the year. Cole Sillinger had the lone assist.

Edmonton turnovered the puck in their zone when Cole Sillinger ripped a shot from the blue line and beat Skinner high glove side for his second of the season unassisted.

Period II

The big men of Columbus were around the blue paint where Mathieu Olivier banged in a JvR rebound for his fourth of the season. This was James van Riemsdyk’s first assist with the Blue Jackets.

Period III

We got a first career NHL goal for the fifth unanswered Columbus goal. The Blue Jackets went from zone to zone to zone with great puck movement. Severson got the puck to Fantilli at center ice. Fantilli continuing the passing to Sillinger, who got it back to Fantilli. As Fantilli got to the trapezoid, he moved the puck pass the Oiler defense to Mikael Pyyhita who scored his first career goal on Skinner. His goal came in his 27th career NHL game.

Sean Monahan rebounded the puck to the open Edmonton net from an initial Chinakov shot that hit off the boards behind Skinner. Monahan recorded his second goal of the evening and fifth goal of the campaign. This is also Monahan’s first multi goal game as a part of the Blue Jackets.

Goaltenders

Stuart Skinner — the netminder only allowed 6 goals on 25 shots for a 0.760 save percentage.

Elvis Merzlikins — allowed the only road goal with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. 31 saves on 32 shots against for a 0.969 save percentage.

Players to Watch

Connor McDavid — his point streak against the Jackets snapped in an unfortunate first period injury.

Adam Fantilli — the second line center had a goal and helper with a +3 rating. This was his first multi-point game of the season. Fantilli recorded his fifth career multi-point game of his career and his highest plus recorded game in his career.

CBJ Three Stars of the Game

1. Elvis Merzlikins — W, 31 saves, 96.9 SV%
2. Sean Monahan — 2 goals (5)
3. Adam Fantilli — goal (3), assist (2)

Next Game — the final game of the month of October is their Halloween game against the New York Islanders on Wednesday, October 30.

More is coming…

Obituaries

https://www.danjolell.com/obituary/john-michael-gaudreau/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYM9fikwQbNkPlcwmTBaP2udJZw1oMBCmyXjp-GyttBpDhIoWnqY8lxQSQ_aem_zW3gpaArqsSO7D5ZI-Pdog

https://www.danjolell.com/obituary/matthew-ryan-gaudreau/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZ33XNOJYMaSDfXxs3NcH7AY99EWfo9ObneKgMrpds4HwrC3U6Gkj0igr0_aem_qqWUcGWcBFf0sebC0an4RQ

Want to support the Gaudreau family? Here’s several ways how:


https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-madeline-and-baby-tripp-after-tragedy - Donate to Gaudreau Family Fund. At the time of writing it is at $691K

https://youtu.be/7ax8zyd8nk0?si=xoI63iohdyn2vVvD - View Johnny B Goode Tribute - personal touch. Loved this slowed down clip by the voice of Calgary. Skip to the 25 second mark.


https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/giving - Nationwide Children's Hospital (Johnny's widow, Meredith's workplace) support the children today.

https://foundation.ohiohealth.com/ - Ohio Health Foundation (where donations from a joint mental health charity drive from Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine went) Johnny joined the mission after Laine attended the NHLPA assistance club last season

https://www.childrenshospital.ab.ca/ways-to-help/donate/ - Alberta Children's Hospital for those in need and touched by the loss

https://kidsportcanada.ca/donate/ - Donate to the Youth Sporting Charity in Canada (Johnny Gaudreau donated for money each goal he scored to the Calgary chapter)

https://sniderhockey.org/support-snider/ - the Philadelphia Youth Hockey Charity (where Johnny and Matthew are from and started their youth hockey)

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