Columbus 3, New Jersey 0
When: 12:30 PM ET, Sunday, December 23, 2018
Where: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Referees:
Pierre Lambert, Jon McIsaac
Linesmen:
David Brisebois, Jonny Murray
Attendance:
12872
By Field Level Media
Sergei Bobrovsky recorded his 26th career shutout as the Columbus Blue Jackets continued their dominance of New Jersey in a 3-0 win over the Devils on Sunday afternoon in Newark, N.J.
Bobrovsky, who beat the Flyers on Saturday in Philadelphia, posted 39 saves to run his season record to 16-10-1.
The shutout was his second this season -- and second in a week -- after blanking the Vegas Golden Knights 1-0 on Monday.
Artemi Panarin tallied a goal and an assist, giving him five points over the weekend. Cam Atkinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand added markers for the Blue Jackets, who won their fourth straight and are 5-0-1 in their last six.
Columbus won for the eighth consecutive time in New Jersey since the 2014-15 season and also improved to 15-1-1 in matinee games since the 2016-17 campaign.
Mackenzie Blackwood stopped all nine shots after replacing starter Keith Kinkaid (eight saves) for the Devils, who are 1-3-1 in their last five and 3-12-0 against Columbus since the 2015-16 season.
New Jersey wore its legacy uniform - green pants with white jerseys and red trim. The last time it donned the ensemble was in Game 6 of an opening-round playoff series against the New York Rangers on April 29, 1992.
The visitors went up 2-0 in the first 22 minutes of that game 26 years ago, and it took only 5:31 of the first period to take the same lead on Sunday, with the Blue Jackets scoring on their first two shots on Kinkaid.
Panarin zipped a cross-ice feed to Atkinson, who fired home his 23rd goal at 4:03, and Bjorkstrand scored his fourth from almost the same pass and positions on the ice, with Alexander Wennberg duplicating Panarin's helper.
Panarin made it 3-0 at 10:47 of the second period after Taylor Hall's turnover, racing down half of the ice and scoring on a dazzling backhander for his 11th goal. Blackwood, who made his first NHL start in a 2-1 loss in Columbus on Thursday, immediately replaced Kinkaid.
The Columbus penalty-kill unit killed off two power plays, including a 5-on-3 for 1:40.
Bobrovsky stopped Miles Wood's breakaway in the first 90 seconds of the third period and denied the Devils the rest of the way to complete the shutout.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Columbus |
|
New Jersey |
Artemi Panarin 2 |
Points |
N/A |
Artemi Panarin 1 |
Goals |
N/A |
Artemi Panarin 1 |
Assists |
N/A |
N/A |
Power Play Goals |
N/A |
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
Sergei Bobrovsky 1.000 |
Save Percentage |
Mackenzie Blackwood 1.000 |
Sergei Bobrovsky 39 |
Saves |
Mackenzie Blackwood 9 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
Columbus
|
20 |
3 |
0-4 |
3-3 |
8 |
27 |
New Jersey
|
39 |
0 |
0-3 |
4-4 |
10 |
32 |
Upcoming Games
-
New Jersey will play their next game on the road against Boston. The Devils have a W/L % of .385 after a win and .318 after a loss.
-
Columbus will play their next game on the road against NY Rangers. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .450 after a win and .750 after a loss.