Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins Battle it Out at PPG Paints Arena
The Columbus Blue Jackets, with a record of 29-29, faced off against the Pittsburgh Penguins, standing at 29-29. The game ended in a narrow victory for the home team with a final score of 5-4.
At PPG Paints Arena, the Columbus Blue Jackets showcased an aggressive offense against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Blue Jackets opened strong, netting three goals in the first period and adding one more in the second. Their shooting percentage was notable at approximately 15 percent from their total of 27 shots on goal. Special teams played a significant role as well; they capitalized on one out of two powerplay opportunities.
The Blue Jackets' physical presence was felt throughout the game as they delivered a total of 43 hits. Despite their efforts to maintain control of the puck with 13 takeaways and six assists contributing to their four goals, turnovers were an issue with 15 giveaways recorded during play.
Defensively, Columbus faced challenges as they were on par with faceoffs won and lost at 33 each but ended up with a minus-five plus-minus rating by game's end. The penalty kill unit had to contend with two shorthanded situations but did not concede any goals during these moments.
Goaltending for Columbus showed resilience under pressure; despite allowing five goals against from an onslaught of 47 shots by Pittsburgh, they managed to save approximately 89 percent of attempts on goal which included saving all powerplay shots faced and three out of four while shorthanded.
On the opposing side, Pittsburgh demonstrated their strength particularly in later periods where they scored once in the second period followed by three additional goals in third period action before clinching victory through an overtime goal. Their powerplay unit found success scoring once during their opportunities while also maintaining strong faceoff performance winning over half their matchups.
The upcoming match for Columbus will be held at Nationwide Arena where they will host St. Louis Blues on March 11th at around seven o'clock Eastern Time (ET). Fans can catch this matchup live through various broadcast networks including ESPN+ online or BSOH channel number six hundred sixty for local television coverage.