Columbus Starts Hot, Fades Late, Loses In A Shootout To Ottawa
Boone Jenner(20) scored 15 seconds into the game, and Alex Nylander(6) scored a power-play goal in the third period to make it 2-0, but that still wasn't enough to keep the struggling Ottawa Senators at bay.
Although Elvis Merzlikins played exceptionally well against the Senators, making 35 saves, the Senators took advantage of a couple of missed CBJ assignments and put both of them behind Merzlikins to tie the game at two just over halfway through the third. Regulation would end at 2-2.
The Jackets had to kill a 4-on-3 power play in the final two minutes of the OT period to push it to a shootout, where Claude Giroux would send a cruise missile of a slapshot past Elvis to win the game. Merzlikins had absolutely no shot at stopping Giroux on that one. The Jackets lose 3-2.
Final Stats
CBJ AppPlayer Notes
- Boone Jenner scored his team-leading 20th goal of the season. He also led all forwards with 21:52 of ice time and won 56.3% of his faceoffs.
- Alex Nylander scored his 6th as a Blue Jacket. He had 20:47 of ice time and 5 shots.
- Johnny Gaudreau got his 36th and 37th assists on the season. He has 18 points in his last 19 games.
- Zach Werenski recorded his 35th assist. He led all CBJ defensemen with 26:39 of ice time and had 5 shots. He now had 13 shots in the last two games.
- Elvis Merzlikins stopped 35 of 37 Ottawa shots in a shootout loss.
Team Notes
- The CBJ PK was perfect on the night, stopping all three Senator power plays, including a 4-on-3 for the final two minutes of overtime.
- The Jackets power play went 1 for 3. Alex Nylander scored the goal.
- Columbus won 59.6% of their faceoffs.
- With two assists, the Jackets blue line has 145 points in 66 games.
What's Next - Columbus takes on the San Jose Sharks at home this Saturday.
More From THN Columbus
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.