Blue Jackets 3 Senators 0 (NHL)

[swamprat]

Matt Duchene came to the Canadian Tire Center intending to play, as he has for the last year and a half, for home town Ottawa Senators. However, around mid-afternoon he changed locker rooms and came on to the ice as a Columbus Blue Jacket. Without their best player the Senators were absolutely atrocious. If not for a slow start by the Jackets and the play of Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson. The result could have been much worse. Anderson fought off 37 of 40 shots, many of which were break aways.

 

After not scoring on 4 power plays in the opening period, Josh Anderson hit a one timer to give Columbus a 1-0 lead.

 

The second and third periods highlighted the worse power play unit I've ever seen. In 4 Senator plays, Ottawa managed only 1 shot on goal, while the Jackets managed 4 shots on goal, including a short handed goal. Nearly all of the Jacket scoring chances in those power plays were on break aways as was Cam Atkinson's short handed goal about 7 minutes into the 3rd period.

 

The new Panarin, Duchene, Atkinson line may be formidable come playoff time. Whether Duchene signs an extension with the Blue Jackets or not, that was a great pickup by Columbus.