Oct 28, 2023 – Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders

On October 28, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio, United States, the Columbus Blue Jackets faced off against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena. The game showcased the talent of goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who put on a show between the pipes for the Islanders.

The Blue Jackets had been generating scoring chances and shots with ease, but the challenge came in converting those opportunities into goals. This struggle continued in their 2-0 loss to the Islanders. Despite launching 34 shots on goal, the Blue Jackets were unable to solve Varlamov, resulting in the Islanders’ second shutout victory of the season.

Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent acknowledged Varlamov’s skill, stating, “He’s getting paid too, right? He’s a good goalie… Our shot selection wasn’t the best, I thought.”

This loss marked the end of a four-game point streak for the Blue Jackets, while the Islanders secured their second consecutive win and moved ahead of the Jackets in the Metropolitan Division standings.

Kyle Palmieri and Matt Martin were the goal scorers for the Islanders, while Spencer Martin, the Blue Jackets’ goalie, put up a strong performance with 31 saves on 33 shots.

In an attempt to secure victory, the Blue Jackets struggled with their shot selection. Vincent emphasized the need to improve offensively and defensively, mentioning, “We want to have a shooting mindset, but there’s lots of things we can improve… I thought we didn’t select the right plays offensively.”

Despite their loss, the Blue Jackets showcased some notable plays, with Roslovic attempting a shot on goal and Varlamov making crucial saves to prevent a tying goal, particularly his spectacular snag of Roslovic’s hard wrist shot in the third period.

In conclusion, the Islanders emerged victorious with Varlamov’s stellar performance, earning him the first star of the game. Palmieri’s goal turned out to be the game-winner, and Martin impressively defended the net for the Blue Jackets despite the loss.

Game Highlights

• Semyon Varlamov recorded his 39th shutout of his career and fourth against the Blue Jackets with a sterling 34-save performance.
• Kyle Palmieri crashed the net and scored off a rebound to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead, earning him the second star.
• Spencer Martin made 31 saves, keeping the Blue Jackets in the game until the Islanders secured a 2-0 lead late in the third period, earning him the third star.
• The turning point in the game occurred when Palmieri capitalized on a rebound opportunity off Pierre Engvall’s shot, giving the Islanders a 1-0 lead.

Game Notes

• The Blue Jackets continue to make lineup changes, with Kent Johnson returning to the lineup and Kirill Marchenko being scratched for this game.
• Coach Pascal Vincent did not officially announce the starting goalie prior to the game, but Spencer Martin led the Blue Jackets out for pregame warmup, indicating his start.
• The Blue Jackets successfully killed all three power plays by the Islanders, maintaining their strong penalty kill performance.
• On the flip side, the Blue Jackets went 0 for 3 on power plays, ending their three-game streak of scoring with the man-advantage.
• During their four-game point streak, the Blue Jackets consistently scored the first goal, but the Islanders broke this pattern by scoring first in this game.

Lineup

Forwards:
Johnny Gaudreau – Boone Jenner – Jack Roslovic
Alexandre Texier – Adam Fantilli – Emil Bemstrom
Kent Johnson – Cole Sillinger – Justin Danforth
Dmitri Voronkov – Sean Kuraly – Mathieu Olivier

Defensemen:
Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov – David Jiricek
Jake Bean – Erik Gudbranson

Goalies:
Spencer Martin
Elvis Merzlikins

Scratched: F Kirill Marchenko, D Andrew Peeke, D Adam Boqvist
Injured: C Patrik Laine (upper body)
Injured/non-roster: G Daniil Tarasov (knee)

For more Columbus Blue Jackets talk, listen to the Cannon Fodder Podcast.

Reference