COLUMBUS – The Jackets defeated The Tampa Bay Lightning in their first home game of the playoffs 3-1. Columbus took a historic 3-0 series lead against the President trophy winning Lightning in Game 3 Sunday night. Jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky put on a dazzling display of goaltending stopping 29 shots against the high powered Tampa Bay offense sans Nikita Kucehrov. The Tampa Bay right winger and Art Ross Trophy winner was absent, serving a one game suspension for his illegal hit on Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara in Game 2.
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dean Kukan (14) hits Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
The first period was physical. Both teams came out checking and hitting. There were many skirmishes after the whistle. Columbus picked up right where they left off in Game 2 relentlessly attacking the Tampa Bay goal shooting 12 shots to Tampa Bay’s 3. 9:39 passed before the Lightning took a shot on the Jacket’s net. The period ended with no score.
Columbus opened up the scoring in the second period with a backhand by center Matt Duchene at 1:44 assisted by Cam Atkinson and Zach Werenski. Duchene scored off a rebound by a shot from Werenski. Oliver Bjorkstrand made it 2-0 Columbus with a slapshot from at 8:25 with a power play goal from the point assisted by Seth Jones and Alexandre Texier. Loud thundering chants of “CBJ! CBJ! CBJ” rang through the crowd as the Columbus onslaught continued. Both teams skated off the ice with 10 shots a piece.
The Lightning began to show some life attacking the Columbus net, but Bobrovsky stood his ground. Tampa Bay left wing Ondrej Palat lit the lamp at 4:40 assisted by Erik Cernak and Tyler Johnson. Palat scored off of a rebound shot by Cernak, and Palat put it between Bobrovsky’s legs. Columbus right winger cam Atkinson finished the scoring on an empty net assisted by Scott Harrington and Artemi Panarin. The Lightning turned the Columbus net into a shooting gallery 18 shots on goal to 8, but the Columbus Blue Jackets held on to win 3-1.
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes the save against the Tampa Bay Lightning in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
“I’m happy with the way we went about our business,” coach John Tortorella said, providing a perfect segue. “We did some really good things. We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’ve got to be careful here. … It’s high stakes, and we know what that (Lightning) team is.”
Columbus has a shot at sweeping the Lightning Tuesday night in Game 4.
“The job’s not done, but at the same time this is fun,” Duchene said. “This has been unbelievable, and we want to finish the job and leave no doubt. Obviously, we have a great opportunity Tuesday at home in front of our fans. I think these fans deserve that we get the job done here at home.”
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes the save against Tampa Bay in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mathieu Joseph (7) fights for the puck against Columbus Blue Jackets center Riley Nash (20) in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Artemi Panarin (9) carries the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) against Columbus in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) leads the Columbus Blue Jackets out to play the Tampa Bay Lightning in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) salutes the crowd after getting the first star against Tampa Bay in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno (71) embrace after their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: the Columbus Blue Jackets fans celebrate as their team beats Tampa Bay in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes the save against Columbus Blue Jackets center Ryan Dzingel (19) in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Tampa Bay Lightning center Tyler Johnson (9) handkles the puck against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019:Columbus Blue Jackets fans raise the “We Are The 5th Line” banner against Tampa Bay in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets center Pierre-Luc Dubois (18) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Tyler Johnson (9) fight for the puck in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) against Columbus in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets center Matt Duchene (95) scores against Tampa Bay in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets center Matt Duchene (95) against Tampa Bay in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
April 14, 2019: Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the National Anthem before facing the Tampa bay Lightning in their game in Columbus, Ohio. Brent Clark/Pro Hockey news
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