Milano brought back for another try
BOSTON — No player on the Blue Jackets got off to a hotter start than Sonny Milano.
The rookie forward not only scored the first goal in the opener, but he got their only goal the following night in Chicago. To follow that up, he scored both goals in a win at Carolina in Game No. 3. Four goals in three games led the Jackets, and only the most optimistic hoped he could continue such a torrid pace.
On Dec. 3, after scoring a goal with five assists in the 21 games after his quick start, Milano was sent to the minors. On Sunday, he was brought back and placed on the third line with Boone Jenner and Nick Foligno against the Boston Bruins on Monday night at TD Garden.
Milano played two games with minorleague Cleveland before being recalled and skated 8:34 against Arizona on Dec. 9. Milano was promptly sent back to Cleveland.
He obviously hopes this stay with the Blue Jackets is a tad longer.
If Milano makes it through Tuesday, he will remain with the Jackets through Christmas due to the NHL roster freeze that goes into effect on Wednesday.
“I needed to stay sharp and make the most of my opportunities,” Milano said before Monday’s game. “They talk with you when you get sent down, and there is always that hope you’ll get the call to come back. I got a lot of ice time in the four games I played there. It was good to get the minutes.”
Coach John Tortorella said he feels much more comfortable with Milano away from the puck than he did last season, and with the Blue Jackets not exactly lighting up the scoreboard (except for six goals against the Islanders), a Milano return looked enticing.
On Sunday, the Jackets sent Jordan Schroeder to Cleveland and brought Milano back.
“He has shown me signs here that he can play away from the puck,” Tortorella said. “I think we need more offense and he has earned a level of trust with me.”
Slap shots
Tortorella split up the top forward line to start the game, but Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Josh Anderson were back together by their second scheduled shift. The Jackets started Anderson with Foligno and Jenner. … The Jackets, as well as the rest of the teams in the league, were without the “NHL 100” patches that had adorned jerseys since last December. The league had all teams wear those patches to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the formation of the NHL for a full calendar year. The Blue Jackets wore them for the last time on Saturday at the Carolina Hurricanes.