The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 and their GM believes the team was “fast, fast, fast”
The Columbus Blue Jackets began the season with a rash of injuries before they could even hit the ice for meaningful hockey. First, there was Nathan Horton and his mysterious back injury. Then, Boone Jenner broke his hand and Brandon Dubinsky had to have abdominal surgery. That’s all with the team’s best player, Ryan Johansen, missing all of training camp and the preseason because of a contract dispute.
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None of that mattered in the team’s season opener in Buffalo though as the Blue Jackets gutted out a 3-1 win, leaving GM Jarmo Keikalainen beaming with pride.
“We were fast, fast, fast, and everyone contributed,” Kekalainen said per The Columbus Dispatch. “The young guys were good, which was good to see. The one thing is, those young guys should not be afraid of making mistakes. They should just play. That’s what they did tonight.”
Granted, it’s one game in a long season and the Blue Jackets had a nice primer in playing the worst team in the NFL last season, the Buffalo Sabres. But what was really encouraging to the team was having so many different players contribute in a tough road win.
“Systematic play,” coach Todd Richards said. “We’ve talked right along about wanting to play fast. If you do your job, trust your teammates and everyone’s on the same page, it works, and you can see it.”
The Blue Jackets will have tougher tests going forward, which may prove to be a more accurate gauge of where this team is at, but for now they still appear to be the gutty, hard-working team from last season that earned a playoff berth. If the team can weather the storm while top players recover from injury, a repeat berth could be in the works.
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