Though it wasn’t a game to put in the win column, the Columbus Blue Jackets ended its 10-game losing streak against the Colorado Avalanche.
The overtime ended with a 2-2 tie in front of an excited sellout crowd at Nationwide Arena last night.
“It’s an accomplishment, we’re happy with it. We’re not happy we didn’t get the win, we thought we played pretty good,” said Columbus right winger Grant Marshall. “We are happy with our effort in getting a point. We just (need) to build for the next game.”
Columbus goalie Marc Denis matched Colorado counterpart Patrick Roy save after save, ending the game with 34 stops while Roy had 17 saves.
“This crowd has been tremendous,” Denis said. “They’ve been giving us the emotional spirits we’ve needed most of the nights and tonight that is what we needed to get two big goals.”
Strong play from Columbus made for some exciting first period play. The Blue Jackets came out with some aggressive play, throwing bodies at every Avalanche player they could get to. Defenseman Luke Richardson steamrolled Colorado right wing Milan Hejduk at center ice to give Columbus puck control.
“(The hit) set the tone,” center Espen Knutsen said. “It was a wake-up call for everyone. It was an awesome hit.”
“It was playoff-intensity hockey out there,” Denis said. “The game could have went both ways. Both teams had their chances. That’s a team we would like to catch up (to).”
The Avs brought the Nationwide crowd to a hush when defenseman Adam Foote put Colorado up 1-0 at 17:52 in the first. Left wing Alex Tanguay used the players in front of Denis as a screen. Tanguay purposely shot the puck wide to Foote, who simply redirected the puck past Denis.
The Blue Jackets entered the second period with the same intensity as the first. The replicated frame had one distinct difference — Columbus went into the second intermission with the lead, 2-1.
Columbus’ first goal was scored by left wing Lasse Pirjeta. He received a pass from behind Roy and set up to the left of the net and sent a slap shot top shelf to tie the game 1-1. Right wing David Vyborny and Knutsen were credited with assists.
Seconds later — 17 to be exact — the Blue Jackets put another goal on the board, giving them the advantage.
Columbus won the following face off and center Mike Sillinger quickly skated down the ice. He then sent the puck in front of the net to right wing Grant Marshall. Marshall tapped the pass into the wide open net.
“I think Grant, with Sillinger and Whitney there played well last year as a line,” said Doug MacLean, Blue Jackets interim coach. “(Whitney and Sillinger) have help him a lot. You score a goal or two and all of a sudden your confidence booms.”
The two goals set a new Blue Jackets franchise record for fastest goals scored.
The Avs were able to tie the game in the third period off a shot wristed by Tangauy that sneaked by Denis’ shoulder. Foote and Hejduk helped on the game-tying goal.
Tomorrow, Columbus will face the Nashville Predators for College Night at Nationwide and look to continue its strong home performance. The Blue Jackets were defeated 5-1 in a lack-luster effort when they last faced the Predators Jan. 6.
“They out-worked us,” MacLean said. “They’re a hard working team we’ve got to be prepared to match and exceed that.”
