The Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning combined for for 13 goals in 61:26 of gametime of a possible 65 due to the extra time. The final score in the first game of four for the Thanksgiving holiday break is 7-6 overtime for the home Blue Jackets.
Period I
The visiting Tampa Bay Lightning opened the scoring with three goals over 10 minutes and one second.
Brayden Point started the scoring at Nationwide on the power play for Tampa Bay with his 11th goal of the season with linemates Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel having the assists.
Brandon Hagel extended the lead for Tampa with his ninth goal of the year with Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli recording the apples.
Former Blue Jackets’ draft selection Cam Atkinson recorded his first goal as a member of the Lightning. The assists went to Victor Hedman and Mitchell Chaffee.
Sean Monahan got the home Blue Jackets on the board with his seventh Columbus goal. Dmitry Voronkov had the primary assist. Damon Severson had the secondary assist.
Period II
Dmitry Voronkov quickly got Columbus on the board in the new period. The sophomore winger recorded the second home goal 28 seconds in for his fourth goal of his shortened season courtesy of Monahan and Zach Werenski.
Kent Johnson brought the game to an even three all 87 seconds later for his first goal back from injury in his first game back. Johnson’s 25th career national goal came on the powerplay and would be his third of the regular season. KJ’s goal was assisted by Werenski and Kirill Marchenko.
Chaffee recovered the lead for the road Bolts for his fifth of the year from Connor Geekie.
Werenski answered back for the Union Blue to fire the cannon for the third time this frame. The top blue liner’s fifth of the season was assisted by Monahan and Marchenko.
Yegor Chinakov got the fans the host club’s first lead of the evening for his sixth of the season. Cole Sillinger had the primary assist. Mathieu Olivier continues his career year with a secondary assist.
Cirelli brought the game back to even for Tampa with his sixth of the season from Hagel
plus Kucherov.
Period III
Johnson for his second powerplay goal of the game for the Blue Jackets’ second lead of the night. The winter’s fourth goal of the year in his seventh game this season came from Werenski and Monny.
Geekie tied the game for the third time this evening for his third career NHL goal. His powerplay goal allowed Gage Goncalves with his first career point. Janis Jérôme Moser had the secondary assist.
Overtime
Werenski sent the faithful home happy with the game winner a minute and 26 into the extra frame. His fifth point of the night and second goal of the evening would be his sixth goal of the regular season. Sillinger and Ivan Provorov had the assists.
Goaltenders
Jonas Johansson allowed 7 goals on 43 shots on goal for an 0.837 save percentage.
Elvis Merzlikins saved 24 of 30 visitor shots for an 0.800 save percentage. The offense of the Jackets saved the efforts of Merzlikins.
CBJ Three Stars of the Game
1. Zach Werenski — 2 goals (6), 3 assists (13)
2. Sean Monahan — goal (7), 3 assists (12)
3. Kent Johnson — 2 PPGs (4)
Next Telecast
Saturday night welcomes the returns of former Blue Jackets’ forwards Jack Roslovic and Eric Robinson to Nationwide Arena in Carolina jerseys. This is the Jackets and Hurricanes first meeting of four.
Rumors
The Fourth Period is reporting the Blue Jackets are gauging the trade market with defensemen David Jiricek and Ivan Provorov. To further the reporting, they are speculating interest out of Edmonton for Provorov.
This isn’t the first time I’ve read/heard interest out of Oil Country calling for Provy. The Oilers seem to not be in love with their defensive group after losing Ceci and Broberg last summer. While nearing the prime of his career on a fast and offensively stacked team, this could help their right side behind Bouchard.
As for Jiricek, yes, Waddell has publicly stated that teams have called about the 20 year old. I’m sure agent Allan Walsh has had Waddell on speed dial the last month regarding the 2022 first rounder. With Fabbro, Johnson, Harris, and Provorov as pending free agents; and with alternate captain Erik Gudbranson injured until next season, all the ice time needs to be tossed to Jiri. With some fans calling for Severson to be moved, moving Jiricek too would eliminate all main roster right hand shots with NHL experience from the franchise.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet is reporting the asking price for Provorov is a first round draft selection in the upcoming 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
This makes a lot of sense. Columbus lost a first and second for him at the 2023 draft, so recovering one of the pieces lost originally will help replenish the draft stockpile for the franchise.
More to come…
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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