Finally, top lines a 1-2 punch
NEW YORK — In the first 36 games of the season, the Blue Jackets’ then-No. 1 line — center Alexander Wennberg flanked by wings Brandon Saad and Nick Foligno — combined for 35 goals and 65 assists.
The Blue Jackets were winning like mad men then, too, prompting coach John Tortorella and many of the players to wonder how lethal this club might be if Brandon Dubinsky’s second line ever awakened offensively.
Then, for about a sixweek stretch starting in mid-January, the opposite happened. Dubinsky’s line, with Boone Jenner to his left and Cam Atkinson on the right, became the club’s most effective scoring line while the top line went into a prolonged chill.
After a 5-2 throttling of the New York Rangers on Sunday, Tortorella was thrilled that, for the first time this season, all of his lines appear to be all systems go.
Wennberg (first line) and Atkinson (second) each had two goals on Sunday, but both lines have been clicking well before this weekend.
“We want to be a top team,” Wennberg said. “And when you get to the end of the season, the playoffs, we have to get everybody going. This is a great sign that we can do it.”
Oliver Bjorkstrand has played his way onto the top line with Wennberg and Foligno. Over the last six games, they have combined for eight goals and eight assists.
Dubinsky’s line has been at it for a while, with 20 goals and 20 assists over the last 19 games.
“We’ve talked about that and how much easier it is to build momentum shift to shift if you’ve got both lines going,” Tortorella said. “I like all of our lines right now. I’ve got a lot of thoughts in my head right now about what are we going to do when we get our injured guys back, but we’ll worry about that when we have to.”
Third-liners Matt Calvert (left wing) and Lukas Sedlak (center) are on injured reserve because of oblique strains.
The 30-goal club
Atkinson is tied for fifth in the NHL with 29 goals, putting him on the verge of his first 30-goal season.
Atkinson would be the seventh Blue Jackets player to reach 30 goals, joining Rick Nash (seven times), Geoff Sanderson (two), and Ryan Johansen, Nick Foligno, Brandon Saad and Boone Jenner (one each).
Slap shots
Sunday’s win pushed the Blue Jackets to 17-7-4 on the road. They went 16-23-2 away from Nationwide last season. … The Blue Jackets had a day off Monday in Montreal, where they will play the Canadiens tonight. Meanwhile, Montreal was at New Jersey. … Defenseman Jordie Benn, acquired in a trade with Dallas, is expected to make his debut with the Canadiens tonight.