Sorry for not being able to get the pre-game coverage up like I normally do. It was a busy day yesterday. Same with around the league. I will do a reaction blog after the deadline. As for last night, the Columbus Blue Jackets dominated the New Jersey Devils by a final score of 6-1.
New Jersey got their lone goal in the early stages of the second period. Reid Boucher scored 98 seconds into the frame. The goal was his fifth of the season. Travis Zajac and Damon Severson got the assists. I was amazed to see a poor night out of Cory Schneider, but it somehow happened. Schneider allowed 3 goals on 11 shots against for a 0.727 save percentage (72.7%). Keith Kinkaid allowed 3 goals on 13 shots against for a 0.769 save percentage (76.9%).
For Columbus, an offensive explosion came through for them at home. Five minutes in, Nick Foligno scored his first goal of the night, which was also his 7th goal of the season. Matt Calvert got the lone helper. Nick Foligno scored again, three minutes after the first for his 8th of the year. Matt Calvert got another tally, and line-mate William Karlsson got a helper as well. To finish up the first period, Brandon Saad scored with 47 second left for his 23rd of the campaign. In the second period, Nick Foligno got his hat-trick off a deflection, for his 9th of the season. With a 1:13 left in the period, Brandon Dubinsky scored a powerplay goal for his 14th goal of the season. Nick Foligno got another point, and Ryan Murray had a helper too. In the final minutes of the final period (1:01 left), Rene Borque scored his 3rd of the season. Joonas Korpisalo outshined Cory Schneider by allowing one goal on 26 shots against for a 0.962 save percentage (96.2%).
CBJ Three Stars of the Night
1. Nick Foligno- Hat-trick (9), assist (23)
2. Joonas Korpisalo- Win; 1GA on 26SA (96.2 SV%)
3. Matt Calvert- 2 assists (5)
More to come…