GAME 1 RECAP: Blue Jackets 2, Maple Leafs 0

In Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs qualifying series, the Blue Jackets earned a 2-0 victory Toronto on Sunday night at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. 

Game in a Paragraph 

After a feeling-out stretch for both teams, a goaltending battle erupted in the second, as both Columbus’ Joonas Korpisalo and Toronto’s Frederik Andersen traded 10-bell saves at times as the game remained scoreless through two. Cam Atkinson’s goal early in the third period gave Columbus the lead and the advantage held up from there as th2 Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. 

Video: CBJ@TOR, Gm1: Atkinson beats Andersen for lead

CBJ Standouts 

Quick Recap 

Korpisalo had to be ready to go early, as Leafs rookie Nicholas Robertson got loose in front on an early shift, but his shot off a feed from Kasperi Kapanen was padded away by the CBJ goalie. 

The first period was tight, but there were chances. The Blue Jackets’ top line of Alexandre Texier, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Oliver Bjorkstrand had a couple of good looks, with Texier feeding Dubois in behind the defense at one point only to see Andersen make the stop on the backhand try. Andersen also swallowed up an open shot from the left circle by Bjorkstrand off a strong forecheck from Dubois late in the period. Zach Werenski also drilled the post in transition for the Jackets.  

Korpisalo also made another solid stop in the period, as Auston Matthews had a good look off a turnover only for the CBJ goalie to get a glove on it before it hit the post and went out of play. 

Things opened up some in the second period, especially late, as the teams traded chances in the final minutes. Texier had an open one-timer off a feed from Dubois, but Andersen made the stop, before Korpisalo made perhaps the save of the game. William Nylander fed Matthews open in the slot, and the man with 47 goals on the regular season unleashed a strong one-timer, but Korpisalo went to full extension and snagged the shot with his glove. 

Video: CBJ@TOR, Gm1: Korpisalo extends glove to rob Matthews

Moments later, it was Andersen’s turn to shine again as Bjorkstrand was loose in front and seemed to have his fellow Dane beat, but the Toronto goalie stretched out with his left pad and got a piece of Bjorkstrand’s attempt to stuff it around him.  

For all the scoring chances that went for naught in the first two periods, Columbus scored on its first good look of the third. David Savard’s long pass found Atkinson in full flight coming up the right wing, and Atkinson sniped a shot between Andersen’s arm and body from the right circle to give Columbus the 1-0 lead just 1:05 into the third.  

Toronto tried to push from there but the Blue Jackets’ defensive structure held true for much of the period, and the Maple Leafs didn’t have a shot on goal in the last 6:12 before Wennberg’s empty-net goal with 18.2 seconds to go sealed the deal. 

Notable 

The Blue Jackets had a 35-28 edge in shots on goal. … Columbus was 0-2 on the power play while Toronto was 0-1. … The Blue Jackets had a 37-26 edge in hits, with Seth Jones leading the way with seven. … Columbus snapped a three-game playoff losing streak dating back to last season. … Columbus is now 3-4 in Game 1 of postseason series. … Matthews had a game-high six shots on goal. … The game was Columbus’ first competitive contest since a March 8 win at Vancouver. … Both Bjorkstrand and Andersen hail from Herning, Denmark. … It was the first-ever postseason matchup between the two teams. … Toronto hadn’t been shut out in a postseason game since Carolina’s Arturs Irbe did so in 2002. … Columbus improved to 1-0 in August all-time. 

Roster Report 

Columbus scratched forward Nathan Gerbe and defenseman Markus Nutivaara after the two were on the expanded 20-man roster for Thursday night’s exhibition game vs. Boston. The other scratches were forwards Josh Anderson (injury), Stefan Matteau, Devin Shore and Kevin Stenlund; defensemen Gabriel Carlsson, Adam Clendening, Scott Harrington and Andrew Peeke; and goalie Matiss Kivlenieks. 

Up Next 

The Blue Jackets move on to Game 2 of the best-of-five series vs. Toronto with a 4 p.m. game Tuesday afternoon.