The Blue Jackets just don't want to give us a break.
Listen, it's hard work covering this team. But I don't expect any of you to believe that.
These guys are as perplexing as they are entertaining. It's probably not much of the latter for John Tortorella and his coaching staff at times, but leaving Philadelphia with two points (when it just as easily could have been zero) is a testament to how they held this one together.
The Blue Jackets trailed 1-0, led 3-1, were tied 3-3, then got one timely and efficient play in sudden death overtime to pick up a 4-3 win and end a brief two-game skid. Seth Jones' shot was a work of art, but what led to the goal was even better. With that said, let's dive into the Game 28 edition of Three Things.
CLUTCH GENE
By now, we know that Jones scored the game-winning goal – something he's done a few times before (he's now up to six career OT winners). But what preceded Jones' goal made the shot and the win a bit sweeter.
Tortorella kept Artemi Panarin on the bench for the last four-plus minutes of regulation and for the first shift of overtime, where the Breadman is typically a mainstay. Alexander Wennberg and Cam Atkinson were the forwards with Jones the lone defenseman, and after Wennberg lost the draw, you'd have thought it was time to find your man and play some defense.
Nope.
Atkinson pursued the puck and also Sean Couturier, who thought he had pinned him along the wall but Atkinson managed to get inside body position, which allowed him to pop the puck free and get it to Jones. This is the good stuff, my friends.
10 seconds in and @seth_jones3 puts this game to rest in @EASPORTSNHL OT.
— NHL (@NHL) December 7, 2018
Oh, and we should mention it's the fastest in @BlueJacketsNHL history. pic.twitter.com/EZP0HAPjTe
The goal, 10 seconds into OT, was the fastest OT winner in Blue Jackets history.
TROUBLING TREND
For the eighth time this season, the Blue Jackets saw a two-goal lead get away.
That ain't good, for all you math nerds out there.
Boone Jenner's early third-period goal gave Columbus a 3-1 lead and you thought, at that point, they could find a way to lock it down. But Travis Sanheim scored twice in a two-minute span, carving through the Blue Jackets' defense on essentially the play (hello, defensive breakdowns!) to tie the game at 3-3.
But unlike Tuesday's game in which the Blue Jackets completely caved in, this time it was different. They got the game to overtime and made a big play. That's how you forget about the ugly ones, even if this one wasn't a Monet.
HOODIE TORTS
All hail the wondrous blue hoodie of John Tortorella. He's a fashion trend-setter.
Step aside, Les Wexner. There's a new fashion mogul in Columbus. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/jgVkksaVRa
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) December 7, 2018
