Forget the introduction, let’s get right down the deets: the Blue Jackets won their fifth straight game Wednesday night, beating Anaheim 3-2 in overtime, climbed into sole possession of eighth place in the Western Conference and won their third consecutive game to start this six-game road trip.
As has been their hallmark since turning their season around in late February, the Blue Jackets never gave in Wednesday despite some strong play from Ducks goaltender Viktor Fasth and a mega-fluky go-ahead goal for Anaheim in the third period. They were the better hockey team in this game and stuck to their recipe for success that worked well against the Ducks in their last meeting at Nationwide Arena — winning puck battles, shutting down the Anaheim cycle game and out-working their defense below the goal line.
Those keys were apparent in the way they won this game: Blake Comeau’s tying goal in the second period was the result of James Wisniewski getting to a loose puck on the half wall and firing it into open space occupied by Comeau’s stick blade – re-directing it off the post and behind Fasth to pull the Jackets even.
Dave Steckel was credited with one of the most bizarre goals you’ll ever see, as the puck was deflected high into the air and out of sight for seemingly everyone in the building…until it fell out of the sky and spun back into the net to give the Ducks an early third period lead. Much like Monday’s game in Colorado, the Blue Jackets didn’t flinch and got right back in the saddle after the go-ahead goal.
Brandon Dubinsky – who has brought so many intangibles to this group on and off the ice – worked his way to the front of the net midway through the third period, sending a backhander into the crease that popped out to Matt Calvert who made no mistake in roofing it to even things up once again. The Jackets had a chance to win it late, too, with a power play chance born from a Ducks too many men on the ice penalty in the closing minutes of regulation.
But it was Nick Foligno making it happen in overtime for the second straight game, button-hooking at the offensive blue line and sending a flutter pass to the net that Tyutin artfully deflected between Fasth’s pads for the game-winner at 2:19 of overtime.
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