Blue Jackets Drive Play, Penguins Hang On Late
This looked far more one-way than the 3-2 score. Columbus fired 45 shots and rolled wave after wave led by Zach Werenski and Damon Severson pushing the puck, with Severson finishing a goal-and-assist night, Cole Sillinger feeding two, Mathieu Olivier cashing one, and Charlie Coyle ripping seven. The quality matched the volume — their chances added up to 4.68 expected goals (how many goals those looks usually produce).
So why was it tight? Sergei Murashov happened. The Penguins goalie turned away 43, and his night graded as +2.68 goals saved above expected, the kind of performance that steals points. He also got three friendly sounds from the pipes — Pittsburgh rang the post three times — keeping the game within a bounce.
Takeaways:
- Blue Jackets: Process is right. Keep feeding the blue-line drivers and shooters; finishing and steadier netminding are the fixes.
- Penguins: The goalie bailed them out. Defensive leaks in front of the crease need attention before the next one doesn’t get that help.
