Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Blue Jackets take sixth in a row in thriller vs. Pens

Pittsburgh Penguins v Columbus Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS, OH - DECEMBER 13: Linesmen David Brisebois #96 and Bryan Pancich #94 break up a fight between Brandon Dubinsky #17 of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Steve Downie #23 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period on December 13, 2014 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

Things haven’t gone the Columbus Blue Jackets’ way very often this season - to say the least - but a thriller against their 2014 playoff opponents conjured memories of last year’s dangerous team.

The Blue Jackets won their sixth consecutive game via a 4-3 shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a contest that was as electric as the Columbus crowd.

As usual for Columbus, it wasn’t easy.

Kris Letang was in vintage form on Saturday, scoring a 2-1 goal and the game-tying tally with about 11 seconds left. The Blue Jackets just seemed like they wouldn’t be denied, especially when Boone Jenner scored on a dramatic penalty shot:

Again, the Blue Jackets looked a lot like the 2013-14 squad that really came on late in the season, generating a relentless attack. Head coach Todd Richards didn’t deny the resemblance.

“That was our M.O. last year: our resiliency and finding a way,” Richards said. “Our guys stuck with it.”

Cam Atkinson’s take was simpler: “That was a lot of fun.”

It certainly was a lot of fun to watch; it was the sort of contest that likely made fans of the sport pine for a playoff rematch. At 12-15-2, it would take an epic run for Columbus to make that happen ... but would you really want to question their scrappy outlook?

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins