Goal or no goal, Schroeder draws praise
TORONTO — What appeared to have been Jordan Schroeder’s first goal as a Blue Jacket, the one that sparked the team’s 3-2 overtime win Monday against the Maple Leafs, was changed on the official scoresheet while the Jackets bathed in bliss in the visitors’ dressing room.
It was credited to captain Nick Foligno, even though Foligno and every other teammate asserted Schroeder’s shot from outside the right circle deflected off goalie Frederik Andersen, high into the air, before bouncing in behind him.
No matter. Goal or assist, it didn’t change the impact Schroeder had, particularly in the third period when he moved up to play on Foligno’s line with Boone Jenner after Sonny Milano was knocked out of the game because of an upper-body injury.
“He sparked us,” coach John Tortorella said. “We kind of bounced him around on different lines and he settled in with that line there. He’s got National Hockey League speed. He has a great chance.”
“Good for him, man,” Foligno said of Schroeder’s apparent goal. “That guy has been playing really well for us. It’s great to see him have some success. I thought his feet were moving really well and he put himself in a lot of good positions to be offensive. Tonight, a lucky bounce goes in for him. So, hopefully, there’s more to come.”
Schroeder, who played his eighth consecutive game Monday during this third call-up from minorleague Cleveland, was plus-1 with three shots on goal in 9:10 on the ice. With the loss of centers Brandon Dubinsky and Alexander Wennberg to injury, the sixth-year pro, acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Wild last summer, has settled in as the Jackets’ fourth-line center.
“It can do a lot for me,” Schroeder said of Monday’s performance. “Confidence with the puck, getting my feet moving, making plays — that’s my game. That’s what I’ve got to bring every single night. So I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Bobrovsky’s back-to-back
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 77 of 81 shots in back-to-back wins Sunday against the Panthers and Monday against the Leafs. With another back-to-back coming up Thursday and Friday, there was speculation backup Joonas Korpisalo would get one of the two starts.
“I don’t buy into the back-to-back stuff. We gave (Bobrovsky) three or four days rest, and we felt he struggled for a little bit,” Tortorella said, referring to Bobrovsky allowing four goals in consecutive starts after a two-game break Nov. 28 and Dec. 1.
Korpisalo was assigned to minor-league Cleveland on Tuesday so he can get playing time with Bobrovsky likely to start the next two games. Matiss Kivlenieks was recalled by the Jackets because they’re required to have two goalies on their roster.
Slap shots
Tortorella said of rookie center Pierre-Luc Dubois, who has two goals and an assist the past two games, “The thing I’m most surprised about him is just his lack of fear as far as situations thrown at him.”… The Jackets took Tuesday off in Toronto, and will bus to Buffalo on Wednesday to practice in preparation for Thursday’s game against the Sabres. … Defenseman Seth Jones had two assists for the second consecutive game Monday, his sixth multi-point performance. He ranks second on the team in assists (21) and points (28).