Morning Musings: Blue Jackets get the first win in style

Things looked like they'd go from bad to worse for the winless Blue Jackets when they trailed Vancouver by a 2-0 score after 20 minutes Tuesday night, but it was merely a setup for what could become a huge turnaround win for Columbus. Johnny Gaudreau tied things up with a highlight-reel goal in the third period and Vladislav Gavrikov's overtime goal off a feed from Yegor Chinakhov gave the Blue Jackets a 4-3 win and their first two points in the standings this year.

Game In Five Minutes

Three Trending Topics

1. After such a team win, it seems weird to start by focusing on such an incredible individual effort … but look at this individual effort by Gaudreau.

"I was trying to curl back into the zone, and I came back up the ice with a lot of speed," Gaudreau said. "I just faked a shot, brought the goalie over with me and then a wraparound."
He made the sublime seem so simple, but let's be honest, it was a pretty magical moment at a big time, wasn't it?
"I don't want to pump my own tires here," Gaudreau said with a bashful grin. "But I had a lot of speed, and I think that threw the goalie off with my fake shot. Going around the net, he slid out of the net there."
OK, Gaudreau won't want to pump his own tires, but we will. Hockey is a team game, and you can talk about X's and O's until you're blue in the face, but sometimes even at the highest levels, elite players do elite player things. It's a nice trump card to have, and it can be the difference between a closely contested loss and an overtime win.
Tonight, that trump card was in CBJ colors.
"The good players, they glide, and it's like they pick up speed," head coach Brad Larsen said. "It's crazy. He's one of those guys, and he found a way to get to the other side of the net there real quick. The goalie had no chance."
2. OK, now on the parade of shoutouts. Five different players posted multipoint nights, led by Gaudreau and Gavrikov at 1-1-2. Chinakhov, Jakub Voracek and Boone Jenner each added two assists, while Justin Danforth and Zach Werenski had goals as well. Elvis Merzlikins was stout, especially in the last two periods and overtime, posting 32 saves.
But two players who might have had the biggest impacts in the game finished with zero points. Mathieu Olivier earned high marks for his first scrap of the season, replying to a big hit from Luke Schenn by dropping the gloves.
Blue Jackets players after the game pointed to that as a key moment that gave the team energy in a 2-0 hole, energy that kept going thanks to a number of big hits by Nick Blankenburg. The 5-9 defenseman made an outsized impact in his season debut, posting four shots on goal and five hits, including a hit on Dakota Joshua (6-3, 206) in the first that drew a retaliatory Canucks penalty and a demolition of Vasily Podkolzin (6-1, 190) in the second that revved up the Nationwide Arena crowd.
"Blanky was unbelievable tonight," Gaudreau said. "He's the smallest guy on the ice, and he's rocking guys left and right. It's awesome to see."

"5-9, 175, but I feel like I don't really play that way," Blankenburg said. "I'm just trying to bring energy to the team down 2-0, and tried to get the guys going a bit. Just putting my body out there on the line and trying to play physically."
3. The Blue Jackets needed this type of showing -- not just because they won, but just because everybody contributed, but because they finally seemed to find their game. After a flat start in the first period that led to the 2-0 hole, Columbus dominated the final two periods and OT, posting an edge of 2.51-0.84 in expected goals at even strength per Natural Stat Trick the rest of the way.
After a rough start to the season, the Blue Jackets outplayed a team on Tuesday night. It wasn't the easiest victory, and winless Vancouver is admittedly scuffling, but things will feel a lot better Wednesday when the squad gathers for a noon practice.
"We need more guys stepping up," Larsen said. "We still have some guys that aren't on their game yet. A lot of times, a win can help that. Everybody comes in in a while lot better mood. I know I will be. When I watch and break down the tape, I know the end result. That is always fun."

Quote Of The Game

Blankenburg on an early hit laid on him by Podkolzin, and his return hit in the second period: "I think it got me into the game right there. I forget who it was who hit me, but I think that's the one I got back in the second. Me and him were joking about it a little bit, but it was good."

Nerd Stuff

• Gaudreau is now on a three-game point streak with a 1-3-4 line. He has scored in both of his home games in Nationwide Arena, and he now has 44 points (14-30-44) in 42 career games against Vancouver, most against any opponent.
• Gavrikov's overtime winner was his first-ever in the NHL and the fourth game-winning goal of his career.
• It was a third straight excellent night for the Blue Jackets at the faceoff dot, as the Jackets won 37 draws and lost just 23 (61.6 percent).
• Vancouver is now the first team in NHL history to lose four straight games when having a multigoal lead in each of those contests.
• Columbus has now won five of six in the series against the Canucks.
• Natural Stat Trick had the expected goals in favor of the Blue Jackets by a 2.97-1.93 margin in all situations (60.6 xGF% for CBJ). At 5-on-5, the Jackets had edges in expected goals (2.52-1.30; 65.9 percent) and scoring chances (21-12).

Being Social

Things we love: A win.

Nasher, we also love you, but we're not sure you're allowed back for a while.

The people. They love Nick Blankenburg

Johnny Hockey goals? Love those too.

Mike Todd, you're also on the list.