Winning Thoughts: A memorable night for Del Bel Belluz, Mateychuk

After CBJ wins, we'll give three takeaways about what stood out or what we'll remember from the Blue Jackets victory.

BLUE JACKETS 6, KRAKEN 2

1. Denton Mateychuk’s first career goal highlighted another standout performance.

Through his first seven NHL games, the rookie defenseman had showcased a smooth, smart game that belied his inexperience in the pros. Mateychuk already appears to think the game at a much more advanced level than most 20-year-olds on the blue line, and he was focused much more on the steady than the spectacular to begin his NHL career.

That meant he had a lone point – an assist – in those first seven contests, but we know he has some offense in his game, as evidenced by eye-popping numbers at both the junior and minor league level. And Mateychuk showed those offensive instincts as he notched his memorable tally in the second period to give the Blue Jackets a 4-1 lead.

As James van Riemsdyk took the puck behind the CBJ net, Mateychuk’s hockey IQ took over and he started to come down from the left point into the play. From there, van Riemsdyk’s sharp-angle shot off the pads of goalie Philipp Grubauer ended up being the perfect pass onto Mateychuk’s stick, and he slid the puck into the net – in “slow motion,” as he put it – for the goal.

“I saw JV come around the net and he kind of turned back,” Mateychuk said. “He was looking the other way, but I kind of knew he knew where I was, and then I just kept sliding and sure enough he put it to the back door and I was able to put it in.”

Mateychuk later got the assist on Kirill Marchenko’s empty-net goal for his first multipoint night at the NHL level. The NHL is an unforgiving place for a rookie, but for the time being, he appears to have cemented himself as a top-four defenseman for the Blue Jackets, and one gets the feeling there’s even more to his game than he’s shown to this point.

Thursday night was just the start of that.

“I think you grip the stick a little tighter when you’re still waiting for the first, so to get it out of the way, I think it’s good,” he said. “I don’t remember much (after the goal). It was a pretty cool moment.”

2. Luca Del Bel Belluz didn’t miss a beat in his first NHL game of the season.

Fans of a certain age will remember what ESPN’s Chris Berman always said about Hall of Fame wide receiver – and Ohio State legend – Cris Carter: “All he does is catch touchdowns.”

In that spirit, you could change it for Del Bel Belluz and say, all he does is score goals.

The 21-year-old center tallied in his NHL debut a season ago for the Blue Jackets in his lone game, and he’s now 2-for-2 after scoring in his first game this year Thursday night. That makes him the first player in franchise history to score in each of his first two NHL games.

This one was scored the way he said he’s notched many of his 17 tallies down in Cleveland – from the hard area of the ice. Del Bel Belluz said before the game his increased output in his sophomore pro season has come from a focus on getting inside the defense and into goal-scoring areas, and he converted against Seattle from the top of the crease when he deflected home van Riemsdyk’s centering pass.

“That was just an example of it,” Del Bel Belluz said. “Just a grindy, greasy goal. JVR just backhanded it to the net there and I was lucky enough to get a stick on it, and it found its way past the line.”

Head coach Dean Evason said last week that Del Bel Belluz’s play, both offensively and defensively, was deserving of a call-up but the Blue Jackets didn’t have an open spot in the lineup. That came Thursday, with centers Sean Monahan (upper body injury) and Cole Sillinger (illness) out of the lineup, and Del Bel Belluz showed just how he earned that recall with his play against the Kraken.

He was on the ice for Seattle’s first goal – Shane Wright knocked down his clearing attempt and quickly fed Eeli Tolvanen for a one-timer home – but that was the lone blemish on his record. Del Bel Belluz played 11:16, added an assist on Mateychuk’s goal, won 7 of 13 faceoffs and centered what might have been the team’s best line with van Riemsdyk and Kent Johnson.

This appears likely to be his first extended look in the NHL, and Del Bel Belluz aced his initial test.

“He didn’t cheat the game,” Evason said. “He was on for that one goal (for Seattle) - tried to do the right thing and chip it out, their guy gets a good stick on it – but as far as the way he competed and his attention to detail, his skill-set is really good, but he has to play in all areas of the game to help his team have success.”

3. The CBJ leaders did their thing on and off the ice today.

While much of this night was about the kids – and we’ll group 27-year-old Owen Sillinger in that as he made his NHL debut (more on him tomorrow) – the team's veterans did their part as well. Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist, van Riemsdyk had the two helpers, Sean Kuraly opened the scoring and Kirill Marchenko notched his team-best 18th goal.

But perhaps their biggest contribution came before the game in the way they welcomed the new blood to the locker room. Del Bel Belluz and Sillinger are no strangers to the team, having been in training camps and around the organization for a while, but both said they were struck by how comfortable they felt upon arrival at Nationwide Arena.

“Right when I walked into the locker room, I saw everyone’s smile on their face, how welcoming they were,” Sillinger said. “They said, ‘We’re going to have a good one tonight.’”

“All the guys made it so easy for me. They were just very welcoming,” Del Bel Belluz said.

It might sound like a small thing, but it goes a long way. The Blue Jackets continue to surprise the hockey world with their play, and one of the keys to the success has been just how tight-knit the locker room is and how good the team’s chemistry has been.

If you’re going to do something special in the NHL, you have to have it, and the Blue Jackets do.