Quote of the Game
Head coach John Tortorella: "It was a game of chess a bit as far as who is going to blink first as far as trying to get too anxious or frustrated. I really like how I used the whole bench. I thought everyone contributed in just trying to play the game. I think you want to play a more exciting game, but it just doesn't happen against that team. That's what we talked about throughout the game. It's not going to be exciting, and you can't try to make it exciting because that's when it's a turnover and it's in the back of your net. I thought our mind-set was good right from the get-go. We finally got our legs from the 10-minute mark of the first perioda, and then I thought we played really well."
CBJ Notables
Quick Recap
Columbus took advantage of a power play early to take a 1-0 lead. After the Islanders were busted for having too many men on the ice, the Blue Jackets took advantage as Bjorkstrand and Boone Jenner combined for a nice play to keep the puck in the zone. Jenner then found Zach Werenski, who fed Dzingel in the left circle for a wrist shot that beat Thomas Greiss clean to the far post.
From there, Bobrovsky was on his game, starting with a glove stop on Nick Leddy moments later. He made another sterling save on Brock Nelson in the first, then two big ones in the opening moments of the second -- a glove stop on a rush off the stick of Josh Bailey, and a breakaway pad save on Casey Cizikas after a turnover.
Columbus' best chance to make it 2-0 from there came on the final shift of the second period as Alex Wennberg fed a cutting Bjorkstrand but his shot was high.
In the third, the Blue Jackets finally converted a chance and it came at the right time. Cam Atkinson fed Panarin on a breakaway with a perfect feed from his own blue line, and Panarin snuck a shot off the bottom of Greiss' glove and into the net for his 26th goal this season.
Columbus was rampant from there and got its much-deserved chili goal with 8:46 left when Bjorkstrand unleashed a snipe from the top of the left cirlce past Greiss for his 17th goal of the season and third in the last four games.
Atkinson completed his two-point night with an empty-net goal with 26.5 seconds to play for his 39th goal of the year.
By the Numbers
Dzingel now has points in three straight games. … Werenski has a 2-5-7 line in his last seven games. … Jenner is now two points from 200 in his NHL career with his assist on Dzingel's goal. … Greiss, who entered having posted consecutive shutouts vs. Columbus, gave up his first goal vs. the Blue Jackets in 157:10 when Dzingel scored. … Columbus has scored first in four consecutive games. … Matt Duchene now has eight points (3-5-8) as a Blue Jacket. … Columbus won its fourth home game in a row and has now won five of six in Nationwide Arena vs. the Islanders. … Columbus improved to 28-2-0 when leading after two periods. ... Twelve Blue Jackets skaters of 18 got a point. ... The Blue Jackets did not to kill a penalty for the second game this season.
Roster Report
Captain Nick Foligno returned to the Blue Jackets' lineup in place of Markus Hannikainen. He skated on a line with Brandon Dubinsky and Riley Nash. Scratches were Hannikainen and fellow forwards Lukas Sedlak and Eric Robinson; defenseman Scott Harrington; and goaltenders Keith Kinkaid and Elvis Merzlikins.
On the injury front, Werenski left the game in the third period with an apparent injury and did not return.
Up Next
The Blue Jackets return home to begin a two-game homestand with a crucial game Tuesday night vs. the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena. The puck will drop at 7 p.m.
