In Sunday’s Quick Takes, Matt described the opening as a “snoozer of a start.” In tonight’s game against the same Devils, the snoozing lasted far longer than the start.
The Devils threw 16 shots at Sergei Bobrovsky in the first period, just four shy of their full-game total from Sunday. Bob stopped them all, though, rescuing the Blue Jackets from a listless opening stanza. The home side looked slow, chasing the Devils forwards around the zone and shoving sticks at skates as Bob absorbed shot after shot.
New Jersey’s most dangerous chance of the first came when a puck caromed off the boards to a charging Adam Henrique, only to see Bob cut down the angle and keep the game scoreless.