It was a record regular season night at Nationwide Arena. 19,188 fans came out Friday night to watch the third game in the 2017 Jackets/Penguins Saga.
It was the 2nd largest regular season crowd in Blue Jackets history, and for good reason.
Drama has been the storyline between the Jackets and Penguins the entire season, and the story continued Friday night.
It was a game with a ton of offense but little scoring. Guys we’re getting shots left and right. By the 2-1 score. You wouldn’t of guessed that the two teams combined for a total of 78 shots on goal.
BobrovskY and Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray had the pipes on lock. Both goalies had stand out nights, but only one would walk away with the W ( and some hugs).
As hot as both goalies were Friday night, they both let the opposing team on the board in the 2nd period.
Ryan Murray would score the opening goal and his second of the season, 1:33 into the second period.
Murray, in position in front of the goal, snatched up a free puck and slammed it home with a nasty backhand shot. Wild Bill Karlsson and Josh Anderson were both awarded assists on Murray’s goal.
Just about five minutes later, Ian Cole slipped one past Bobrovsky to answer right back.
Despite all the shooting, neither team was able to score another shot and would give every one of the 19,188 fans in attendance a special treat, Jackets/Penguins over time 3 on 3 hockey. Just those last 8 words alone are enough to get any Jackets fan excited, and well, kinda sick.
Overtime was short, but ever so sweet.
Just 1:03 into OT and Brandon Dubinsky dropped sent Nationwide Arena into a fervor. Dubi picked up a drop off pass from Cam Atkinson and pushed the puck left of the net. Dubinsky then hit the defender with an absolutely filthy toe drag back right across the goal to bury a top shelf self past Matt Murray.
DRAG HIM pic.twitter.com/skzQoiMMlk
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) February 18, 2017
Watching it, I couldn’t help but compare what I had just seen to Kyrie Irving mercilessly crossing up a defender and then euro-stepping into a reverse layup. It was polarizing, a moment we all love in sports where we have to stop and ask ourselves “how’d they do that”!?
The Jackets needed a win like Friday this. It was just what the doctor ordered, for a homestand that hasn’t gone exactly as the CBJ would’ve hoped.
With the win, the Blue Jackets are now 2-1 against the Penguins for the seasons. The teams won’t meet for the fourth and final game in the season series until April.
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