The Columbus Blue Jackets were badly in need of a win Wednesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. Mired in an 0-7-2 slump, they would do just about anything to get back in the win column. They turned in one of their best performances of the season.
In the Blue Jackets’ 7-3 win, 12 different players recorded a point. They took care of business against a team lower than them in the standings.
But there was a moment in the game that stood out to the Blue Jackets that won’t be reflected on the scoresheet. The score was 7-3 at the time. The team could have easily went on cruise control late with under a minute left in the third period. Eric Robinson had other ideas.
Massive Shot Block
Robinson not only blocked one, but two Kevin Korchinski slap shots in the final minute. It’s one thing to do that with the game on the line. It’s another all together when the game is decided and the Blue Jackets are showing a commitment to defense in a four-goal game.
These blocks by Robinson earned the praise and respect of his teammates and coaches. Elvis Merzlikins, who made 37 saves Friday in New Jersey, went out of his way to mention Robinson postgame.
“He came from Cleveland and on (7-3 game) I think he blocked a huge shot,” Merzlikins said. “He could have broke his foot there, but he still put his body in. And this is what I love to see and I really appreciate that.”
Head coach Pascal Vincent also mentioned the blocked shots and the need to see more consistency in Robinson’s game.
“37.9 seconds left in the game. The score is 7-3. Faceoff in the D-zone. We lose that faceoff, gets in the shooting lane and blocks that shot. That’s what we want from him consistent, consistent, consistent. And we know he’s a good player. So hopefully he grabs the opportunity like he did the last game and does it consistently.”
Robinson Scored Game-Winning Goal
It’s funny how life in the hockey world can sometimes work. Robinson got called back up to the Blue Jackets with a second chance to prove he belonged in the lineup. The shot block was the talk of Wednesday. But then his game-winning goal was a major story Friday.
Justin Danforth found Robinson with a great pass to spring a breakaway. Robinson beat goaltender Akira Schmid on what would become the game-winning goal. He used his awareness and his speed to put himself in position.
“I knew he had some time there,” Robinson said. “We talked about it. If you have time, there’s no reason to crowd the guy and come over. So I stayed wide and I knew how he was gonna get his help and make that play.”
For Robinson, it’s two-fold. He wants to make an impact every time he’s on the ice. But he also wants to see everyone buy in.
“Whenever you play, you wanna make an impact,” Robinson said. You wanna help the team win. So to get a goal, it was a really good felling, really relieving. And then for the team to come together like that and get a win on the road like that, everyone bought in. It was a good night.”
Robinson Opens Up on Being Waived
These two moments in the Blue Jackets last two games happened because Robinson was called up from Cleveland in light of Alex Texier not being available due to illness. Robinson was placed on waivers earlier in the season in the face of a massive logjam on the roster.
But then it wasn’t even smooth sailing when Robinson got to Cleveland. He had to miss a couple games due to an upper-body injury. When he was in, he became an important part of the Monsters’ recent good run to first place in their division.
Robinson scored a career-high 12 goals last season and played 259 games for the Blue Jackets before being told he was going on waivers for the purpose of assignment to the AHL. This situation was a stark reminder for what life can be like in the NHL.
“It’s just a reminder that jobs in the NHL are precious,” Robinson said. “And then we’re taken for granted. So any game you get back in the other night and today, it’s an opportunity to prove something and to earn a job because that’s the reality of the NHL is earning a job everyday.”
For some players, a demotion is not handled the right way by a player. But other times like in Robinson’s case, it can serve as motivation especially when a player thinks they still have a lot to contribute.
“It’s everything. It’s gotta motivate you. It’s gotta be the reason you work and finish every hit and block every shot and make every right play. The jobs are precious and there’s a lot of good players out there so you gotta make sure you’re sharp and ready to go every night.”
Even with the right attitude about going to the AHL, it can catch players off guard. It was no different for Robinson when he found out the news.
“I knew we had a lot of guys. That was clear at camp. There’s a logjam at forward. I guess (I was) a bit surprised but got over it and realized there’s nothing I can really do but just get back to work.”
Be Yourself
Robinson went to Cleveland ready to work and do what he could to continue the success the Monsters were enjoying. That’s what the Blue Jackets wanted from him as well.
“I think just play your game, don’t really change too much or try to do too much,” Robinson said of the team’s message. “You don’t have to be a 50-goal scorer all of a sudden. You can play your game. They’re running the same systems and it’s a good group down there (with) a lot of good players and things are clicking so it was pretty easy to fit in.”
Robinson recorded 1-3-4 in his nine games with the Monsters. He continued to be the player that he’s always been, using his speed to be a disruptive force in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill. Then if given the chance, he can create offense. His best friend Johnny Gaudreau still believes Robinson has a lot to offer.
“I still think he’s of the fastest guys on our team,” Gaudreau said. “His speed is insane. He works his butt off so that’s what we need right now. We don’t need to get cute or fancy. We need to work hard and try to grind out wins. I think he did a great job there that first game and played really well. We went on that little drought there and now we won a game so hopefully we can keep this going.”
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The Blue Jackets have won two in a row since Robinson rejoined the team. He has added a speed and penalty-killing element to the bottom six. His line with Danforth and Sean Kuraly have played very well since being reunited. They even played straight up against Jack Hughes on Friday. Chemistry is key for this trio.
“I think we’re on the same page,” Robinson said. “They’re two pretty easy guys to play with. Kurls just talking the whole night and letting you know what’s going on. They both got good speed so I think that’s clicking as well. We’re just on the same page.”
“They know each other. They’ve played together last year,” Vincent said of that line. “There’s a combination there of different kind of skills. Robinson is playing within his skills. He has lots of speed and he’s doing a good job on the PK. I think when you have a guy like him that plays like this, it just gives us another element to our game where we can play different people against other lines. At times they were out there against their top line (Hughes’ line.) That’s a legitimate first line in the NHL and they’ve done a great job.”
Robinson and the Blue Jackets hope to continue to build off of this mini-streak they’ve started. If they do, it’ll be because of the way Robinson handled being waived and sent to the AHL. He went to work and earned his way back. It’s a good lesson for anyone who finds themselves in that situation. Take advantage of the opportunity and go to work. He still has a lot to offer at this stage in his career.
