Jackets finally played at home, even if itwas just a scrimmage
Thehouse lightswere dim, the ice was tinted blue and the Blue Jackets skated out of thehometunnelWednesday night at Nationwide Arena like itwas just another game.
This, however, was not a regulargamenight inColumbus.
No cannon blast followed the Jackets’ welcome to the ice. No raucous cheers filled the empty building, which will likely be devoid of fans most of the upcoming season thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only a handful of high-pitched shouts emanated fromthe bench areas, asTeamBlueandTeamWhite prepared for the Jackets’ first scrimmage of a two-week training camp designed to prepare them for a 56-game sprint.
Elsewhere, the rest of the world watched on television as Americandemocracydangled by its fingertips from the balconies surrounding the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
Itwas a strange feeling, to say the least.
“Obviously, it’s a scarytime when you see what’s going on, but you know, you also know that you have a job to do and we’re just trying to do that right now until told otherwise,” said captain Nick Foligno, who had one of two hat tricks in agametheWhite Teamwon 9-6. “It’s dangerous that you have what we witnessed today (in Washington), butwe’re just trying to focus on getting ready.”
Even amid the day’s
unease, that much was evident. The return of hockey to this place carried with it a small sense of normalcy taking place between the goalies guarding each net.
Sticks clacked against the ice, the puck and the walls. Skates swished and slashed along ice that hasn’t hosted an NHL game sinceMarch 1, back before the pandemic’s start in the U.S.
There wasn’t a ton of hitting, because there’s never a ton of hittingwhen you’re playingyourownteammates, but there were a few bodies colliding — including a late collision that sent center Riley Nash face first into the corner boards.
Other than a cut on his forehead, Nash appeared to be fine and in decent spirits afterward — another bit of normalcy considering the sport and the grit of those who play it.
There were also goals, 15 of them in all, and a lot of familiar names wound up
on the scoresheet.
Foligno’s first twoforTeam Blue happened in the first period and his third of the game capped the scoring in the second. His linemate, Cam Atkinson, added one of his own, and Team White responded with a flurry of its own. Three by Bjorkstrand, two fromPierre-Luc Dubois, whichwas fitting since each of them signed very different contract extensions the past week.
Nash scored one for the White Team, along with Nathan Gerbe and Seth Jones to build a 5-4 lead through two periods. Things devolved in the third, as Foligno switched sides to the White Team and sloppiness for both groups led to six more goals.
“I think it was just fun to get in a game atmosphere,” Foligno said. “Obviously a little sloppy at times, but it’s just good to compete and see where we’re at ... there was some big goals tonight by some guys and it was nice to see. It’s nice to see that rhythm. We joke around, it’s a scrimmage, but it’s still nice to put the puck in the net and have that mind-set, so it’s important for everybody.”
There were impressive saves too, believe it or not.
The Jackets’ goalie tandem of JoonasKorpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins each had their moments of rustiness, but both also showed glimpses of why this team will have an edge in net most games.
Mostly, though, this was aboutmore than just the first scrimmage of camp.
It was also about getting some version ofNHLhockey backinColumbusafterafourmonth pause for the pandemic, a summerpostseason conclusion to last season and then another lengthy down period for the league’s odd fall offseason.
It was about Nationwide Arena coming back to life, sort of, and about grasping ontowhatever sense of normallifewas available during a trulyunnervingday inAmerica.
“It’s hard to comment,” Foligno said, referring to the band of rioterswho stormed the U.S. Capitol earlier in the day while trying to stop the certification of president-elect Joe Biden’s election victory. “It’s so freshand I didn’t have much time to really see it. It was more in passing, aswewere coming to the rink to get ready, but frightening, obviously, and scary. Hopefully we can get that rectified and get back to theAmericaweexpecttobe.”