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Blue Jackets Open Long Road Trip With Blackhawks 6-3 – Hockey Writers – Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets opened their longest road trip of the season with a series of games on Sunday in Chicago. They already have more points from this trip than they did from their recent trips to Washington and California.

Sean Monahan recorded a goal and an assist while Zach Werenski added two assists to help pace the Blue Jackets to a 6-3 victory over the Blackhawks. They were able to do this despite taking eight penalties and allowing three power play goals in this game.

Recap of the game

The Blue Jackets' penalty trouble started 2:38 into the game when James van Riemsdyk tripped Wyatt Kaiser. That turned into Connor Bedard's opening goal 21 seconds into that power play.

To the credit of the Blue Jackets, they didn't let the Blackhawks' early momentum get to them. They managed to take the lead before the end of the first half.

Ivan Provorov scored his second goal of the season thanks to a well-placed screen by Dmitri Voronkov. Kent Johnson then answered his friend Bedard's goal with one of his own in his new office, the right circle.

The second half featured the team trading goals 1:50 apart. Craig Smith converted a power play goal to make it 2-2. Monahan then scored a big goal after a big turnover and beat Sean Kuraly. No matter what the Blackhawks threw at them, the Blue Jackets weathered the storm and kept pulling back.

Sean Monahan was the first star of Sunday's game in Chicago. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/NHLI via Getty Images)

The game was not one of Petr Mrazek's best games. Although he made some key saves including denying Johnson's second goal of the game, he allowed a soft goal to Dante Fabbro that ended up being the game-winner.

The Blackhawks scored their third power play goal of the game thanks to Nick Foligno to make it 4-3. That was as close as they would get though.

Kirill Marchenko's top-shelf goal stretched it to 5-3 before Voronkov hit an empty-netter for a 6-3 final score.

Elvis Merzlikins has won 28 of 31 games. Mrazek made 30 saves in the loss.

The Blue Jackets will now head to Calgary for a rematch with the Flames on Tuesday night in what will be an emotional night as the Gaudreau family will make the trip to the Saddledome. The Blackhawks have a quick turnaround as they play Monday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs north of the border.


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