Columbus Blue Jackets Face Off Against Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre
The Columbus Blue Jackets, with a record of 0-1, faced the Montreal Canadiens, who held a record of 1-0. The final score read 8-2 in favor of the home team at the Bell Centre.
The Columbus Blue Jackets started strong in the first period with two goals, setting an early pace for the game. Their offensive efforts resulted in a total of six points from two goals and four assists throughout the match. The team's shooting accuracy was notable at nine percent as they managed to get twenty-three shots on goal. Despite their aggressive play, which included eighteen hits and three takeaways, they struggled to maintain possession as evidenced by thirteen giveaways.
On faceoffs, Columbus showed dominance by winning thirty-one out of fifty attempts, translating to a sixty-two percent success rate. However, their powerplay opportunities did not convert into goals despite having four chances and seven shots during these critical moments.
Defensively, Columbus blocked seventeen shots but had a challenging night as their goaltender faced thirty-two shots against them and made twenty-four saves. This resulted in an overall save percentage of seventy-five percent for the team's goaltending effort.
The Montreal Canadiens capitalized on their opportunities with an impressive shooting percentage of twenty-five percent from eight goals on thirty-two shots. They also displayed effective teamwork with sixteen assists contributing to their total point tally of twenty-four for the game.
Montreal's powerplay unit found success once out of three opportunities while also maintaining solid defense during short-handed situations by not allowing any goals across seven shorthanded shots against them.
Looking ahead for Columbus fans eager to support their team: The next challenge awaits at Madison Square Garden where the Columbus Blue Jackets will meet New York Rangers on March 28th at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. Fans can catch this matchup live on ESPN+ via internet streaming or tune into channel 660 (BSOH) or channel 634 (MSG) for television broadcasts.