Blue Jackets 4, Flyers 3 | Seth Jones delivers OT winner
Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch
Dec 6, 2018 at 9:53 PM Dec 7, 2018 at 6:12 AM
PHILADELPHIA — An assistant coach was in the hospital, the head coach wore a hoodie sweatshirt and layers to fight a virus, and then the Blue Jackets coughed something up on Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center.
It was a two-goal lead in the third period against the Philadelphia Flyers just two days after blowing a three-goal lead in a loss to the Calgary Flames and less than a week after losing a two-goal lead in a loss last weekend at the New York Islanders.
This time, however, the Jackets fended off the late charge and won 4-3 on a goal by Seth Jones 10 seconds into overtime — his second of the game.
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"We were in a two-game losing streak and we didn't like the way we were playing," said Jones, who tied the score at 1 in the first period. "We had to turn it around. It's an even bigger game being in our division and the points matter a little bit more. It was a great road win."
It was also a memorable one.
Assistant Brad Shaw was hospitalized Wednesday night because of an abdominal issue and didn't make the trip back to Columbus with the team. If he's up to it, he's expected to return Friday.
Coach John Tortorella, meanwhile, is still feeling sick and wore a dark blue team hoodie on the bench. It drew attention online and on the bench, but he made it work — much like the Jackets made another collapse work out.
Once again, they responded to adversity in a positive way. If you're looking for early trends, that might be the most redeeming one in a season that has presented numerous chances for them to show some starch.
That's exactly what they did by upending the Flyers so soon after an "embarrassing" loss to the Flames. Philadelphia had just switched general managers this week, from long-tenured Ron Hextall to former Minnesota Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher, and recently replaced all but coach Dave Hakstol on the bench.
They had what Tortorella called a "bunker mentality," but the Jackets countered it with their own resolve.
Jones and Brandon Dubinsky made it 2-1 with goals in the first period, and Boone Jenner provided their 3-1 cushion at 5:15 of the third with his sixth goal of the season. It could've been a nice springboard to victory, but instead the Flyers tied it 3-3 on back-to-back goals by pinching defenseman Travis Sanheim.
Sanheim's goals 2:05 apart, a few minutes past the midway point in the third, put the Jackets' backs squarely against the wall again.
Jones, though, saved the day after getting a pass from Cam Atkinson off the opening face-off in OT. He sent a wrist shot into the upper right corner to end it, which also extended Atkinson's career-high point streak to 12 games — one behind the franchise record of 13 set by Ryan Johansen in 2014-15.
"Short-term memory," Jones said. "We can't be dwelling on past goals, we can't be dwelling on, 'We should've won that in regulation.' We've got to find a way to find our own energy, especially on the road, and we did that."
bhedger@dispatch.com
@BrianHedger