Blue Jackets 1, Kings 0
In a game where there was as much activity between the whistles as there was after them, Columbus grabbed two points en route to a spectacular shutout victory.
It didn’t take long for things to get ugly in the Staples Center, as Derek Dorsett and Kyle Clifford found themselves in a shoving match just 44 seconds into the game. Playing in a rare afternoon game, the tussle was a wake up call for both teams.
Through the first period, the Blue Jackets and Kings combined for 22 hits and 14 penalty minutes. Each team saw power play time, though neither was able to convert. Los Angeles’ strong defensive output, headed by goaltender Jonathan Quick, kept the score even through three penalty kills.
The fast-paced style continued when the teams came out after the first intermission. Jared Boll took the first penalty of the frame when he caught Jarret Stoll with a high hit along the boards. Soon after returning to the ice, Boll dropped the gloves with Kevin Westgarth.
Despite the physical play in open ice, the men in the crease were the most active in the middle period. Curtis Sanford and Quick each spent a substantial amount of time on their backs, scrambling to keep out loose pucks.
After more than 30 minutes of scoreless hockey, Columbus finally broke through with a goal six seconds after their power play expired. With 9:45 left in the period, Grant Clitsome rifled a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle past Quick for the 1-0 lead. Derick Brassard and David Savard picked up assists on the play.
The goal gave the Blue Jackets some energy, though not all of it was positive. Although Columbus did start putting on more shots, they also started playing a rougher brand of hockey, an ill-advised decision in such a tightly called game.
The Blue Jackets started the third period making up for a lapse in discipline. With six minutes of penalties to kill, the Blue Jackets leaned heavily on Sanford, who pulled through with a few more acrobatic plays. Sanford finished with 31 saves in his sixth career shutout.
One final scare came with the Los Angeles net empty and 1:25 remaining in the game. Grant Clitsome, trying to clear the puck, inadvertently shot the biscuit out of play for a potentially costly delay of game penalty. The Kings, playing with six men, could not score with the two-man advantage.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, a sigh of relief came over Columbus’ bench. Over the course of the season, greater leads than one had been squandered in the waning moments of the game. Saturday night was different, as the Blue Jackets caught a glimpse of sunshine in their trip to California.
mm938910@ohiou.edu
