Florida Panthers (15-5-4, 34 pts) at Columbus Blue Jackets (10-11-5, 25 pts) March 9, 2021: Game Thread; Jackets look better, faster but fall to Panthers, 4-2

MAR. 9, 2021 II vs. FLORIDA PANTHERS II NATIONWIDE ARENA II 7 PM ET

TODAY’S MATCHUP

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Record:  10-11-5, 25 pts.  (5th, Discover Central Division) 

Goals:  2.62 Goals-For/3.19 Goals-Against… Shots:  28.5 Shots-For/31.0 Shots-Against

Power Play:  16.2 percent (25th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  74.2 percent (24th-T, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  7.4 PIM (10th-T, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  1-3-2 (1-2)

FLORIDA PANTHERS

Record:  15-5-4, 34 pts. (3rd, Discover Central Division)

Goals:  3.29 Goals-For/2.83 Goals-Against… Shots:  34.1 Shots-For/30.7 Shots-Against

Power Play:  24.7 percent (10th, NHL)… Penalty Kill:  77.1 percent (19th, NHL)

Penalty Minutes:  8.4 PIM (17th, NHL)… Overtime Record (Shootout):  4-2-2 (1-2)

ALL-TIME SERIES

Results:  Columbus has gone 24-8-3 in 35 regular season games vs. the Panthers, including 15-2-2 at home… Of Note: The Blue Jackets are 10-1-1 in the last 12 meetings against the Panthers overall, outscoring them 42-26 over that stretch… Columbus has picked up points in 16-straight home games against the club since Dec. 9, 2009 (14-0-2)… Six of the last 10 games at Nationwide Arena have been decided in a shootout (CBJ; 4-2)… The winning team has scored three or more goals (including SO goals) in 10 of the last 11 meetings… Each team has recorded three shutouts in the all-time series while neither team has recorded a penalty shot… Goals:  CBJ – 105, FLA – 80… CBJ PP:  24-of-121 (19.8%)…CBJ PK:  106-of-118 (89.8%).

This Season (CBJ, 1-0-1)

Jan. 26 – Florida 4, at COLUMBUS 3 (SO)

Jan. 28 – at COLUMBUS 3, Florida 2 (SO)

Mar. 9 – at COLUMBUS… Mar. 11 – at COLUMBUS

Apr. 3 – at Florida… Apr. 4 – at Florida

Apr. 19 – at Florida… Apr. 20 – at Florida

2019-20 Results (CBJ, 2-1-0)

Dec. 7, 2019 – at Florida 4, Columbus 1

Dec. 31 – at Columbus 4, Florida 1

Feb. 4 – at Columbus 1, Florida 0 (OT)

CBJ TEAM NOTES

Columbus had its two-game win streak snapped with a 5-0 loss at Dallas on Saturday… The Blue Jackets begin a four-game homestand on Tuesday and play six of their next eight games at Nationwide Arena… The Jackets have picked up points in their past two Tuesday games (1-0-1)… CBJ have scored the game’s first goal in a League-high 18 of their 26 games, including four of the last five contests… The Jackets are 9-2-1 in their last 12 games played in the month of March dating back to Mar. 24, 2019.  The club has won seven consecutive home games in the month since Mar. 9, 2019 (19-4-0 at NWA since Mar. 2, 2017)… The Blue Jackets are second in the League with five shorthanded goals in 2020-21 (Montreal; 7).

CBJ PLAYER NOTES

RW Cam Atkinson has 9-6-15 with four multi-point outings in the last 15 games… C Boone Jenner, who notched his second multi-point effort of the season with 1-1-2 on Thursday at Dallas, has 5-4-9 in the past 12 outings… D Seth Jones ranks sixth-T among NHL blueliners in assists and 10th-T in points since Feb. 1 with 1-11-12 in 16 games… G Joonas Korpisalo, who has started the last seven games for the Blue Jackets, has posted a 2.25 GAA and .917 SV% in his past six games since Feb. 25… D David Savard is one of only three players in the NHL (Chicago’s Calvin de Haan and Edmonton’s Adam Larsson) to record 50-plus hits (62) and blocked shots (52) in 2020-21.

MILESTONES

•     RW Cam Atkinson is three games from 600 in his NHL career (208-179-387, 597 GP).

•     D Vlaidslav Gavrikov is five games from 100 in his NHL career (6-18-24, 95 GP).

•     D Scott Harrington is three games from 200 in his NHL career (7-30-37, 197 GP).

•     C Jack Roslovic is one game from 200 in his NHL career (31-50-81, 199 GP).

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT

•       LW Gus Nyquist (shoulder surgery on Nov. 3; Injured Reserve) is expected to miss five-to-six months.

                              o TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST:  64.

TONIGHT’S GOALTENDERS

Sergei Bobrovsky for the Panthers
Joonas Korpisalo for the Blue Jackets

1ST PERIOD NOTES

FLORIDA’S GOAL SCORER

Juho Lammikko scored at 4:59 on a shot that was badly misplayed by Joonas Korpisalo

Florida Stats

8 HITS

4 PIM

0/2 PP

71% FACEOFF WIN PCT.

Columbus Stats

8 HITS

4 PIM

0/2 PP

29% FACEOFF WIN PCT.

2ND PERIOD

Florida goes up 2-0 at 2:45 2nd period. Patric Hornqvist gets the goal when everyone thought Eklund got it. Assists to the latter and Huberdeau.

Blue Jackets get on the board at the 5:45 mark! Michael Del Zotto got behind the defense 1 on 1 vs. Bobrovsky and scores. Nice assists from Robinson and Texier. 2nd period, Panthers 2 Jackets 1.
Blue Jackets down 2 goals again! Owen Tippett who wasn’t even on our pregame rosters, scores his 2nd goal of the season to make it 3-1 at 18:12. Korpisalo, again did not see the shot. Getting screened alot tonight.

Florida Stats

3 GOALS

29 SHOTS

15 HITS

4 PIM

2/4 PP

58% FACEOFF WIN PCT.

Veteran defenseman Keith Yandle is playing in his 891st straight game

Panthers outshot the Jackets 16-9 in that period

Columbus Stats

1 GOAL

25 SHOTS

15 HITS

8 PIM

0/2 PP

42% FACEOFF WIN PCT.

Power play still looks very lackluster

3RD PERIOD

Blue Jackets get it back to one as a Florida turnover taken by Zach Werenski to Oliver Bjorkstrand down low and its FLA 3 CBJ 2. Time for defense and another goal to tie.
Carter Verhaeghe scored on an empty netter at 19:38 mark to ice the game at 4-2. His 9th goal of the season.

*CBJ’s Nick Foligno missed a wide open net as Sergei Bobrovsky guessed badly and was out of position to make a save.

*CBJ’s Joonas Korpisalo stops a breakway by Frank Vatrano.

*Tampa Bay’s Sergei Bobrovsky got hit in the mask by a missile off the stick of Patrik Laine. If he ducks his head, put goes in and the Jackets tie the game at 3-3.

Florida Stats

33 SHOTS ON GOAL

60% FACEOFF WIN PCT.

2/4 POWER PLAYS

6 PIM

26 HITS

11 BLOCKS

6 GVA

Columbus Stats

40 SHOTS ON GOAL

40% FACEOFF WIN PCT.

0/3 POWER PLAYS

8 PIM

20 HITS

16 BLOCKS

10 GVA

THREE STARS OF THE GAME

  1. SERGEI BOBROVSKY, TAMPA BAY
  2. JOONAS KORPISALO, COLUMBUS
  3. OWEN TIPPETT, TAMPA BAY

POSTGAME ZOOM INTERVIEWS

Cam Atkinson CBJ RW TB 4 CBJ 2 On team playing faster. Got to bury scoring chances. More fans at games helps 3 9 2021.mp3