The Blue Jackets will take the point, but they'll spend the next little while wondering if they should've bagged a second.
They got the lead goal from Pierre-Luc Dubois and held a 1-0 lead until the third period, when a controversial penalty (which occurred late in the second) changed the course of the game. We'll get into all of that below.
HORRIFIC CALL
Boone Jenner was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct late in the second period for cross-checking, but upon further review, it's not exactly clear why he received the penalty.
This is how the second period ended anyone still think this isn't a rivalry? #CBJ pic.twitter.com/K1NdOtyAA0
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) December 22, 2017
Is that even a minor penalty, let alone a major and an ejection? Good lord. The Penguins received a three-minute all-you-can-eat power play from it, and Patric Hornqvist took advantage to tie the game.
BREAD RISES
Artemi Panarin was the best player on the ice tonight.
His play to set up Dubois' opening goal was a work of art, collecting his own rebound, dancing through a couple of players and then sliding the puck across the slot to Dubois, who beat Matt Murray high glove side with an absolute dart.
Panarin could've scored a few goals tonight, but he finally got one late in regulation – pretty damn good timing, too.
After the Penguins scored to take the lead (again on the power play), Seth Jones walked the blue line on a Blue Jackets power play and switched places with Panarin high in the zone. Panarin faked a pass, took another look, then ripped a shot through a Dubois screen, pulling the Blue Jackets level at 2-2.
It was one of the better games we've seen from Panarin, who has played exceptionally well the last couple of weeks.
BOB's ON POINT
The Penguins owned the shot battle, the possession game, and had the better scoring chances. The Blue Jackets, however, were determined to hang around and a large part of that was Bobrovsky's performance. After a night off Wednesday, Bobrovsky got back between the pipes and turned in one of his best efforts of the season, making 39 saves in regulation and overtime including a couple of "holy smokes" stops along the way.
After a tough stretch for Bobrovsky when he didn't quite look himself, this was a sight for sore eyes and he nearly stole one for Columbus.
TAKE ONE
It's easy to look at the game and say there was an opportunity lost – and there's some truth in that – but the Blue Jackets collected three of four points against two solid teams in the East. They continued to climb, getting up to 21-13-2 and keeping pace with their competition in this wicked division.
NASTINESS REIGNS
This is one of the fiercest rivalries in the NHL. The Blue Jackets and Penguins despise each other, and in their first meeting since last year's Stanley Cup playoffs, they didn't waste any time getting reacquainted.
Checks were finished, scrums ensued, and a few fights broke out along the way. Sidney Crosby was involved, Nick Foligno, Ryan Reaves, Josh Anderson, Boone Jenner, and handful of others stirred things up as the game took on a snarly tone midway through.
There are three more meetings between these two in 2017-18...and that's before the end of the regular season.
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