Blue Jackets End 2023 In Familiar Fashion By Blowing Another Lead, Losing To Sabres
The Jackets lost in an all too familiar way on Saturday. They had a third-period lead and let the Sabres bully their way into tying the game late in the third and then winning in overtime. It's starting to feel like a broken record.
It felt like the game should've been 6-2 Sabres at certain points in the game though. CBJ goalie Daniil Tarasov made some great saves and kept the Jackets in the game. And then finally, after being shelled all period long, the Sabres would break through and score on Tarasov with just over eight minutes to go. Casey Mittelstadt would tie the game at two, and from that point on, you could feel a loss coming.
Columbus would hold on to send it to overtime. Tarasov was peppered with 12 shots that felt like 40 in the third period, but would only let in the one goal. Finally in OT, after the Jackets had zero shots on goal, Jeff Skinner scored the game-winner just 1:20 into the OT to seal it for the Sabres. It wasn't a terrible game by the Jackets but was winnable.
Damon Severson(4) and Adam Fantilli(11) were the goal scorers for the Blue Jackets.
Final Stats
CBJ AppPlayer Notes
- Adam Fantilli scored his 11th goal of the season, pushing his points streak to 4 games. His 13 points in December trail only Connor Bedard by 1. He also leads all rookies in goals in December with 7. He deserves more ice time, and tonight finished with just over 17 minutes.
- Damon Severson scored his 4th goal of the season. He now has points in two straight games and has 3 points in that span.
- Dmitri Voronkov tallied an assist, moving his total points to 19 on the season.
- Yegor Chinakhov notched an assist. He has 17 points on the season and has 12 points in the 10 games.
- Justin Danforth now has 18 points with his assist on Saturday.
- Goalie Daniil Tarasov stopped 39 of 42 shots.
Team Notes
- The Jackets blocked 21 more shots on Saturday, adding to their league lead.
- The CBJ could only muster 20 shots on goal against Buffalo
- In one power play opportunity, the CBJ did not have a shot on goal.
Next Up: The Blue Jackets will be back on home ice to face the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, January 2nd at 7 p.m.
Join Jason Newland's Columbus Blue Jacket page on Bunches, a new app that connects sports fans. Also, you can watch a new YouTube game show about the Blue Jackets, Around the Fifth Line.