34 seconds into the game, the Montreal Canadiens were in the lead on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
And then they were not.
Less than three minutes later, Nick Foligno was credited with an unassisted goal after a series of ricochets somehow put the puck in the back of the net to even the score.
Who knows who scored this one but they count all the same.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/kYfhDVitKm
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 12, 2018
The rest of the period was the Seth Jones show. For once the Blue Jackets got a bit of power play offense, and it came from their first pairing defenseman who now owns the franchise record for single-season goals by a defenseman. Twice on the man advantage Jones fired a shot from the point, and twice on the man advantage he scored from the point.
Jones can do nothing wrong right now.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/iW4qxfaXv6
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) March 12, 2018
Thus, the opening 20 minutes concluded with a 3-1 Blue Jackets lead.
The Blue Jackets opened the second period scoring on a Boone Jenner self-rebound and punch home, which was countered by a breakout Canadiens score by Jonathan Drouin. Period two closed with the score 4-2, Blue Jackets.
But then everything seemed to shift after news of a Seth Jones injury came across the wire before period three, and the defenseman was unable to return. All of a sudden it seemed the Blue Jackets were playing not to lose, surrendering 24 shots while taking only 4.
Thing is, Sergei Bobrovsky saved all 24 of ‘em.
Nothing could get passed the home netminder in the final 20, and after an Ian Cole knucklepuck iced things over with 2:19 to play, the final score stood 5-2.
Injury Update
Markus Nutivaara returned to the lineup for the first time in almost a month, playing 18:41 and putting a shot on goal. Seth Jones's status from the upper-body injury tonight remains unclear. Josh Anderson will stay sidelined a few more weeks with a knee injury. Dean Kukan is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury with no timetable for a return.
Next Up
The Blue Jackets head to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers Thursday at 7:00 p.m. on Fox Sports Ohio.
