Columbus Blue Jackets skate to 5-3 victory over Los Angeles Kings
One of the most surprising teams in the National Hockey League’s Western Conference this season has been the Columbus Blue Jackets. With a record that currently stands at 10-6-0, the Jackets have been
winning games in excellent fashion. They continued that trend with a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday 17 November.
How it happened
Despite the fact that Los Angeles held the home-ice advantage, it was Columbus that drew the first blood in this game. Andrew Murray opened the scoring with his first goal of the season at 7:40 of the
first period. Michal Handzus got that one back for the home team when his wrist shot found its way past Steve Mason at 9:06 while the Kings were on the power play.
The Blue Jackets regained the lead in the second period when Rostislav Klesla tallied at 11:22. But the ever-feisty Kings tied the game up again when Ryan Smyth notched his sixth goal of the season at
18:38 on a wrap-around.
Justin Williams would extend the Kings’ lead to 3-2 when he lit the lamp 1:25 into the third period. From that point onward, the Jackets would score a trio of unanswered goals. Jared Boll scored the first
one at 3:48, followed by captain Rick Nash at 16:48. Nash would round out the scoring with an empty-netter at 19:21 to seal the victory for the Blue Jackets.
What they’re saying
Nash is known as one of the most skilled forwards in the National Hockey League today. His goal-scoring prowess has won him many admirers, of which Jackets head coach Scott Arniel is one.
“Not many guys can do stuff like that,” Arniel told reporters after the game. “His confidence and his skills are at a different level. That quick inside-outside move, and then the shot up high against
a good goalie – when the guy does something like that and your jaw drops, that’s when it’s nice to be a spectator.”
Coming into the game, Nash and his team-mates knew they were going up against a Kings squad that has been amazing on home ice. But the Blue Jackets’ strong work ethic and third-period offensive outburst
gave them a big win on the road.
“It’s a huge win, especially when you’re going after the toughest team at home in the league,” Nash said of his team’s efforts. “We keep it simple on the road. At home, sometimes we play too loose, try
to do too much. On the road, we play uptight, and we do things the right way.”
Despite a decent effort from his team, Kings captain Dustin Brown admitted that the team let the game slip away in the third frame.
“The one thing that was out of the ordinary for us was that we had a lead in the third and let it go,” Brown said. “That hasn't happened in a long time here. We kind of let this one slip away.”
Both teams will return to the ice on Friday 19 November. The Kings will visit the Buffalo Sabres, while the Blue Jackets will take on the Anaheim Ducks.
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