The Columbus Blue Jackets didn’t play their best game on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. But it was effective enough to extend their winning streak to an NHL-high five games.
Zach Werenski scored both goals in regulation while Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored the only goals of the shootout to help the Blue Jackets to a big 3-2 win over the Flyers. Daniil Tarasov made 23 saves fresh off of a conditioning assignment in the AHL.
The story of this game was two teams mucking and grinding their way through a low-event game.
Game Recap
Early on, the teams traded goals. Nick Seeler was able to find a wide-open Bobby Brink at the back door for an easy goal to give the Flyers an early 1-0 lead. There was nothing Tarasov could do. But it was fair to wonder how the rest of his night would go after giving up an early one not even four minutes into the game.
Tarasov was able to settle in after that. Then Werenski tied the game. Rasmus Ristolainen’s pass went off the skates of Noah Cates. That turnover was collected by Werenski who beat Ivan Fedotov on a breakaway.
From there, the two teams made it a point to not let the other have a lot of chances. Coach Dean Evason said postgame that it was a focus for the Blue Jackets to stay on the right side of the puck. That helped limit the Flyers’ chances throughout the game.
The game itself was pretty sleepy throughout. But at 11:39 of the second, Mathieu Olivier and Travis Konecny got the crowd into it. Olivier laid a hit on Travis Sanheim. Konecny tried engaging Olivier with cross checks after. Later in the sequence, Konecny knocked Olivier down which brought everyone together. In all, Konecny got four minutes and Olivier two minutes.
While that sequence gave both teams life, it resulted in no scoring in the second. Owen Tippett made it a 2-1 game at 8:13 with a shot that seemed to handcuff Tarasov. Even with the goal, the Blue Jackets showed no panic even despite Zach Aston-Reese going to the box for high-sticking.
The Blue Jackets killed the penalty. It gave them the energy needed to find a tying goal. Marchenko’s beautiful pass found Werenski for his second goal of the night. The goal gave Werenski 15 goals and 50 points on the season. It also extended his home points streak to 17 games.
The teams needed overtime. While both teams had chances, no one could score. In the shootout, Kent Johnson scored in round one. Tarasov stopped both Konecny and Matvei Michkov before Marchenko brought out the Alex Texier firepoker to win the game.
The Blue Jackets will practice Wednesday morning in advance of their next game Thursday against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks. The Flyers now head to Long Island for a Thursday game against the New York Islanders.