Calvert gives offense much-needed boost
WASHINGTON — Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno knows how much playoff hockey means to Matt Calvert.
On Saturday, Calvert scored the first two goals of Game 5 for the Blue Jackets — first giving them a 1-0 lead, then tying the score at 2 — in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals.
“He was huge. What a big momentum boost for our team,” Foligno said of Calvert. “We get up, we get tied, he comes back with a huge one after we go down. That kind of effort you need from guys. Great to see him put the puck in the net, but he’s doing so many other things as well. He loves this time of year.”
Calvert certainly seems to take to the postseason.
Statistically, Calvert has been one of the Jackets’ top offensive players — although two goals in one game pushed him to the top Matt Calvert, left, in congratulated by Cam Atkinson after tying the score at 2 in the second period. Calvert crashed into the cage but wasn’t called for goalie interference against Braden Holtby.
of that list. But for a guy who scored nine regular-season goals to pop in three in the first five games of this best-of-seven series, Calvert has been a big lift as the Jackets are desperate for scoring.
“I love this time of year,” said Calvert, who scored the winner
in overtime in Game 2 the last time the teams played at Capital One Arena.
“The best players in hockey are playing right now and we’re lucky to have this opportunity. It’s a lot of fun. You keep getting your number called to jump over that wall,
then a couple go in and you really get some confidence going.”
Calvert gave the Jackets their first 1-0 lead of this series midway through the first period as the Jackets were trying to hold off the Capitals’ killer power play.
Seth Jones got things going with a terrific defensive play along the boards in the Jackets zone, jacking the puck off the stick of Alexander Ovechkin and getting it up along the boards to Calvert.
Calvert and Josh Anderson got behind the Capitals on the rush and took it down the ice. Calvert looked like he was going to pass but didn’t — shooting at Braden Holtby and getting the puck to bound into the net.
“The one thing in my mind was how gassed I was,” Calvert said of taking off after spending time killing the penalty.
“I got caught out there and it was like a double shift. I was just going to dump it in, then I realized we had a 2-on-1. It was straight legs and I was hunched over, but (the defender) was playing Anderson so strong, I threw it at the low blocks and it went in.”
His second goal was a beauty, and it was meaningful because the Capitals had taken momentum back, leading 2-1. Calvert got loose and drove in on Holtby but whiffed on his shot. Instead of losing it completely, he wrested control of it again and slid it past the Washington goalie — all while crashing into the cage.
“I don’t know if it jumped or I just missed it,” Calvert said. “Whatever happened, I made a quick move with the backhand and it went in. I turned on it, and luckily he bit on the shot. It turned out to be a great fake that worked out in our favor.”
There was no goalie interference as Washington watched the replay and didn’t challenge.
“We all need to help out offensively,” Calvert said, mentioning Oliver Bjorkstrand’s game-tying goal early in the third. “We just need to put our heads down and keep moving. We would have liked to win, but we’re not too disappointed.”