Say it out loud: the first-place Columbus Blue Jackets. Also, ignore the whole "New Jersey has two games in hand" thing.
In three games this week, the Jackets captured five of six possible points, falling in a shootout against a *very* good Tampa Bay Lightning team on the road last night. What can we glean from all of this? Well, you came to the right place. Here's what we learned.
The offense is clicking
Over the span of three games this past week, the Jackets lit the lamp 15 times, despite the power play going just 2-for-14 over that span.
The takeaway here is something we already pretty much knew – this team can score with anyone, and they’re really, really good at even strength.
The Columbus GoodFun Jackets. pic.twitter.com/Rpp8oz4Njx
— Sean Tierney (@ChartingHockey) November 5, 2017
There are a *lot* of players in the top right quadrant, which is exactly where you want to be. That – plus having Sergei Bobrovsky in net – has led the Jackets to the top of the Metropolitan Division (although the Devils are just one point back with two games in hand).
Better yet, despite all of the power play woes, the Jackets have the third highest scoring differential in the league, at +10, and have put up at least 30 shots on goal for 11 games in a row.
PLD Finds a Home
Pierre-Luc Dubois slotted in at center for the first time in his NHL career on Thursday night in Sunrise, and boy did he run with it.
He finished the night with a CF% of 95.45 – yes, 95.45 – as the team put up 21 shot attempts while he was on the ice, and only allowed one for Florida. Then, last night, he held his own once again, despite not dominating like he did against the Panthers, notching an even 50% CF% and an assist against what has been the league’s best team so far.
Werenski all alone in front makes quick work of the Dubois pass. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/tPCu9SzNAh
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) November 4, 2017
Dubois’ emergence at center could be the answer that the Jackets have been looking for. He seems to be making his linemates – Sonny Milano and Markus Hannikainen – a lot better, too. Speaking of…
(Still not completely) Rolling Four Lines
The fourth line had a monster game on Friday night, dominating possession as they were matched up against Florida’s fourth line as well. The Milano-Dubois-Hannikainen trio had a clear advantage over Florida’s unit of Micheal Haley, Denis Malgin and our old friend Derek MacKenzie, so Tortorella was comfortable throwing them out there for nearly 11 minutes on the night.
That’s some pretty ideal fourth line usage, but last night, it switched a bit.
The Bolts are clearly head-and-shoulders above the Panthers in terms of performance and there’s really no weak point in their lines where you can shelter a fourth line. Tortorella's solution? Don't risk it. Hannikainen played just 4:52 (and notched a multi-point game!), while Milano played just 7:34. Dubois got shuttled around a bit more, and ended the night with 10:15 of ice time. Their line was out there for Kucherov’s goal, where he was uncovered by an open net.
How did Kucherov get so much space? Dubois and Milano ran into each other near the boards.
Still, all three players found the scoresheet – assists for Dubois and Milano, and a one goal, one assist game for Hannikainen. Not bad for a trio of rookies.
Hannikainen has been shuttled between Cleveland and Columbus so many times over the last three seasons that it doesn’t feel like he’s a rookie, but he has just 20 NHL games to his name. Dubois is still getting his first taste of NHL action – and playing center at this level – while Sonny Milano’s rookie season has been a performance roller coaster so far, but they’ve shown flashes of being a really good fourth line.
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