2010 Compuware NHL Premiere Series – Columbus Blue Jackets win 3-0 against the Montreal Canadiens
The 161st was hosted at the Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets this Tuesday. With around 10,000 fans that came to witness the match saw the Columbus Blue Jackets up against the Montreal Canadiens. This promised to one of the exciting
clashes in the season with the Montreal Canadiens playing in the 12th game and the Columbus Blue Jackets playing their 11th game of the regular season thus far. The saw both teams come up with several scoring opportunities and the score
of 3-0 in favour of the home team doesn’t tell the story. It was just a matter of the Columbus Blue Jackets taking the opportunities, while the Montreal Canadiens missed. However, whatever the case the home team emerged as winners with the score on 3-0.
1st Period
The Montreal Canadiens had a decent start to the match as they came across scoring opportunities but couldn’t find the back of the net. From the start of the period the away team made attacks that were well worked that almost saw them scoring in the 7th
minute had it not been for the woodwork in the way.
The home team seeing this put the foot on the gas and started to adopt an attacking mentality. The home team’s attacks were rewarded instantaneously as they scored to break the deadlock in the 13th minute. The goal was scored by Captain of the
Columbus Blue Jackets Rick Nash from 20 feet through a splendid 20 feet shot.
The home team with the confidence after scoring the goal pressed on in search of another goal. They were successful in doubling the lead in the 14th minute. The goal was scored by Derick Brassard from a perfectly placed flick shot from 13 feet
that went flying into the net through the legs of the goal keeper. The period saw both teams make scoring opportunities but they couldn’t score further goals. The period ended with the Columbus Blue Jackets leading 2-0.
During the course of the 1st period, the home team scored twice out of the 9 goal attempts, while the Montreal Canadiens made 10 goal attempts without any goals.
2nd Period
The 2nd period saw the home team carry their momentum into the period. They displayed some brilliant passing along with smoothness in their game play. The Montreal Canadiens couldn’t stop the developing attacks as they went through the middle
of the field.
The home was the confident and stronger of the two teams in the beginning of the period but to their disappointment, they didn’t score. After the unsuccessful attacks that didn’t result in any success, the home team took the game a little lighter not attacking
too much. The Montreal Canadiens also had the share of the chances but they couldn’t find a goal either. The period ended with the score 2-0 in favour of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
At the end of the period, the Columbus Blue Jackets made 11 goal attempts and the Montreal Canadiens made 9 goal attempts without any goals.
3rd Period
The Columbus Blue Jackets had the attacking mentality for the opening few minutes of the last period. During the opening minutes, they made some of the dangerous attacks and scored to further strengthen the already 2-0 lead.
The goal was scored by Kyle Wilson in the 7th minute from a spectacular backhand shot from 10 feet. After this, the home team didn’t attack and tried to keep in possession. Though the Montreal Canadiens made goal attempts but they were from long
range and the attacks couldn’t get past the Blue Jackets defence.
The match didn’t see any further goals as the Columbus Blue Jackets won the match 3-0. The final period saw the Columbus Blue Jackets score one goal out of the 4 goal attempts they made, while the Montreal Canadiens didn’t score out of the 10 goal attempts
they made.
Talking about the goal keeper of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Coach said,
"Matty was outstanding and he deserves opportunities to play," Columbus coach Scott Arniel said.
"He's been good from training camp all the way through to tonight. I have a lot of confidence in both goaltenders. We have 1-A and 1-B."
"We played really well in the first and second," Brassard said. "And in the third, Matty did everything by himself. He saved us a few times. He was the difference tonight."
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