close
close

Guiltandivy

Source for News

    • Columbus Blue Jackets fall short of Gaudreau monument: 5 takeaways
    Update Information

    Columbus Blue Jackets fall short of Gaudreau monument: 5 takeaways

    Kathleen William Posted on

    play

    It felt like the equalizer was just moments away.

    After Blue Jackets forward James van Riemsdyk redirected Damon Severson's shot into the Florida Panthers net while his own net was empty, the energy in the sold-out Nationwide Arena skyrocketed Tuesday night. On the night Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau were remembered during an emotional ceremony – including Johnny's No. 13 being sent to the rafters – the Jackets pulled within 4-3 of the reigning Stanley Cup champions, but the equalizer was not scored.

    More: Columbus Blue Jackets remember Johnny Gaudreau and raise the “13” banner

    Spencer Knight, the Panthers' goaltender, stopped everything the Jackets threw at him in the final two-plus minutes. Florida walked away with a win and the Jackets fell behind by one goal for the second time in their first three games.

    “(The Gaudreau tribute) was done very well by the Blue Jackets, and the Blue Jackets players did their best tonight,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “We did that too. Our goalie was the key player tonight and we needed him.”

    Here are five takeaways:

    Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers honor Gaudreau on faceoff

    It was one of those moments that immediately became historic for the Blue Jackets, as they won the opening faceoff of the game without Gaudreau's spot on the left wing filled.

    They had four outfield players and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins going up against the Panthers' five plus Knight. As soon as the puck hit the ice, it became clear what was happening. Players on each team froze for 13 seconds until 19:47 remained. The puck was picked up by an official exactly where Gaudreau would have been standing and it was moved to the Blue Jackets' bench.

    A new opening draw followed and this is how this game began. It was a humbling reminder of what the Blue Jackets and the entire sport lost to the two Gaudreau brothers. “It’s hard, to be honest,” Jackets center Sean Monahan said. “It was a special moment that I will remember forever.”

    Sean Monahan's goal is another tribute to his close friend Johnny Gaudreau

    It only took 37 seconds, but Monahan's goal briefly gave the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead at 11:22 of the second, and it felt like a divine strike had been scored with Gaudreau's assist. After his first attempt was blocked, Monahan charged at the rebound and practically pushed the puck past Knight.

    It was his second goal in as many games, his second of the season and one of the most significant of his career.

    “I felt like Johnny was looking down on us today,” Monahan said. “I felt like I was going to get one. Luckily I made it and we lost, which sucks, but I could definitely feel John today.”

    Kent Johnson of the Columbus Blue Jackets shows his skills with a shorthanded goal

    It's good that Evason and his coaching staff presented Kent Johnson as a penalty-killing forward in training camp. The right wing is not only a disruptive force when shorthanded, but also an offensive threat.

    It was only a matter of time before he would score while shorthanded, and that led to Cole Sillinger scoring the first goal of the game 41 seconds into the second period. Seeing Sillinger break free in the neutral zone, Johnson sent a perfect backhand stretch pass from his own blue line to hit his target on the fly for a breakaway.

    Sillinger sank the shot for his first goal of the season, completing another big play between the two, further evidence of the pair's growing chemistry.

    “I really enjoy playing with him,” Sillinger said. “In some ways we are opposites, but we are starting to think about the game more in a similar way and use each other more. We just want more for each other and believe in each other more. That's a big part of it. As long as we continue to play together, our chemistry will continue to improve.”

    The Columbus Blue Jackets' resilience continued even in the loss to the Florida Panthers

    It's only three games into 82 games, but Evason is already learning something about the Blue Jackets. Even when they are down, they do their best. This time, after the Jackets fell behind 2-4 thanks to Eetu Luostarinen's goal with 4:48 minutes left, the Jackets pulled back to within one goal thanks to James van Riemsdyk's goal with 2:39 minutes left and Merzlikins sat on the bench for an extra field player.

    It's the second time in their first three games that the Blue Jackets have cut a two-goal lead to one in the final minutes of the third period, after doing the same in Thursday's season-opening 3-2 loss at Minnesota was.

    “This team will not give up,” Evason said. “I know that for sure. They don't let each other give up. That's what we saw, that's what they built in a short period of time. They push each other. We didn't let up at any point in the three games and there were opportunities for disappointment. There are certainly signs that there is no giving up in this group.”

    Gudbranson could be the next long-term starter for the Columbus Blue Jackets

    Another day came and another injury occurred to a Blue Jackets player. After already losing captain Boone Jenner and Dmitry Voronkov within 14 hours of each other in the preseason, the Jackets are now considering a possible long-term extension without defenseman Erik Gudbranson, another key leader in the locker room and something of a sheriff on the ice .

    This time it was a collision between teammates that tipped the scales. Gudbranson and Monahan collided behind a play late in the second period and both fell to the ground. Gudbranson immediately responded to an apparent injury by slowly getting to his feet and leaving the ice while holding his right arm or wrist.

    Evason didn't provide any details about the injury after the game, but said the initial prognosis “doesn't look good.”

    In the best case scenario, when an NHL coach says that after a game, it almost always means he won't be on the roster for several weeks. If so, it would be another big loss for a young team that relies heavily on Gudbranson's leadership, experience, smarts and toughness.

    Assuming he will miss time, it's probably time for David Jiricek to step into a regular role as Gudbranson's replacement. He's tall, right-handed and was drafted sixth overall by the Blue Jackets in 2022 for a reason.

    [email protected]

    @BrianHedger

    Learn more about Columbus Blue Jackets on the Cannon Fodder podcast

    Tagged:

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Kathleen William
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like

    ads