Bobrovsky cools off Carolina in shutout
By the end, a crowd of 16,008 was chanting his nickname.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves and Cam Atkinson had a goal and an assist to lead the host Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-0 victory Friday night against Carolina that snapped the Hurricanes’ season-best five-game winning streak.
“Bob was the Bob we’ve grown to love,” teammate Brandon Dubinsky said.
Dubinsky and Boone Jenner also scored for the Blue Jackets, who have won three of their past four games. And Nathan Horton contributed in his first home game in a Columbus uniform.
But make no mistake about it: Bobrovsky stole the show.
“He was in his game today,” said Carolina’s Justin Faulk. “He’s obviously a good goalie. He’s proven himself in this league.”
Horton, a big-money freeagent signing last season who missed the first 40 games after shoulder surgery, raved about Bobrovsky.
“He showed why he’s one of the best goalies in the game,” Horton said. “It’s great for us to have him.”
Bobrovsky picked up his second shutout this season in his first home start in more than a month. He missed 14 games with a strained groin before winning at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers on Monday night, 4-3 in a shootout.
He said the key was concentrating.
“To be honest, I almost don’t remember my saves tonight,” he said. “I make one, then I try to be focused on the next.”
The Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top goalie last season was in fine form.
He stopped Elias Lindholm twice on jam shots at the corner post during more than a minute of a 5-on-3 advantage for Carolina in the third period.
While the Hurricanes were pressing in the remaining power-play time, he gloved a hard shot from the high slot by Zach Boychuk — and held his glove high in the air for several seconds while the crowd roared.
The crowd chanted, “Bob! Bob!” throughout the final few minutes.
“Our goalie energized the building in the third period with some of his saves,” Columbus coach Todd Richards said. “That is a little reminiscent of last season.”
Bobrovsky, acquired in a trade with Philadelphia 18 months ago, went 21-11-6 while leading a late-season charge last spring that brought the Blue Jackets within a tiebreaker of making the playoffs.
“When he’s playing like that, it gives us a chance to win every single night,” Atkinson said.
Carolina’s Anton Khudobin had been the hottest goalie in the league. He came in with a record of 6-0 with a 1.84 goalsagainst average and a .943 save percentage. He had allowed two or fewer goals in six of his seven games before yielding two in the first period.
Other games
Rangers 3, Stars 2: Rick Nash snapped a tie with 1:58 left, and host New York handed Dallas its fifth consecutive loss. Nash poked a rebound of Chris Kreider’s shot past Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen to give New York its first lead. The Stars remained winless in 2014 and finished 0-3 on their three-game swing through the New York metropolitan area.
Capitals 3, Maple Leafs 2: Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Joel Ward scored, and Michal Neuvirth, making his first start since Nov. 22, registered 32 saves as host Washington beat Toronto. The Maple Leafs have lost four games in a row.
Islanders 2, Avalanche 1: Michael Grabner scored on a wrist shot at 1:46 of overtime to lift visiting New York to a win against Colorado.
Notes
Anaheim called up goalie John Gibson from their AHL affiliate in Norfolk. Gibson, 20, is from Whitehall and is considered one of the top goaltending prospects in the world. He switches places with Frederik Andersen, 10-2-0 with the Ducks this season while injuries dogged Anaheim’s No. 1 goalie, Jonas Hiller. Gibson was MVP of the 2013 world junior championship while leading the United State to the title. He was 11-9-3 with a .915 save percentage for Norfolk. … Columbus put checking forward Blake Comeau (sprained knee) on injured reserve. He is expected to be out 4-6 weeks. … Nashville star goalie Pekka Rinne was cleared for weight-bearing exercises under a doctor’s supervision as he continues his recovery from a hip infection.