The Columbus Dispatch

Sillinger ends goal drought amid ‘sophomore slump’ with Blue Jackets

- Brian Hedger Columbus Dispatch

The body language said it all. The second the puck crossed the goal line off Cole Sillinger's stick Friday night in Anaheim, the second-year Blue Jackets center immediatel­y looked up and shook his head. He pumped his fists, raised a knee and depicted the act of yanking of a “monkey” off his back before teammates converged.

“Goal Sillinger” had finally returned to snap a 45-game drought spanning back to the Nov. 17. No wonder he looked like a guy who had finally found an oasis in the desert.

It was a tying goal that briefly gave the Blue Jackets a lift late in the second period of a stinging 7-4 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, but the relief was undeniable.

“It feels pretty good, but … one goal in how many games?” Sillinger said during an interview shown on Bally's Sports Ohio. “I obviously demand more of myself, but yeah, it's a good start.”

Sillinger, who 16 goals and his first

NHL hat trick last year, hadn't scored in four months. He also hadn't scored in 600:04 spent skating in 818 shifts. He hadn't scored in 126 consecutiv­e attempted shots and was denied on 60 straight shots on goal.

As Sillinger learned the hard way, the NHL'S “sophomore slump” is something a lot of players struggle to overcome. The hope now for the Blue Jackets is that his is ending. Picked 12th overall in 2021, Sillinger is too important to this team's future to become an enigma of a prospect whose star only shines for one promising season.

“You hope this allows him to kind of just take a breath here and rediscover that scoring touch that we know he has,” coach Brad Larsen said. “Great to see him score for us.”

Columbus 2 1 1 - 4

Anaheim 2 1 4 - 7

FIRST PERIOD: 1. Anaheim, Zegras 22 (Strome, Mcginn), 3:19; 2. Columbus, Blankenbur­g 4 (Foudy), 10:57; 3. Anaheim, Harrington 2 (Terry, Benoit), 14:37; 4. Columbus, Jenner 23 (Laine, Gaudreau), 19:29. Penalties - Silfverber­g, ANA (hooking), 0:37; Benoit, ANA (hooking), 11:31; Gudbranson, CBJ (interferen­ce), 20:00. SECOND: 5. Anaheim, Comtois 8 (Grant, Benoit), 3:44; 6. Columbus, Sillinger 3 (Bemstrom, Johnson), 16:35 (pp). Penalty Strome, ANA (hooking), 14:47.

THIRD: 7. Anaheim, Terry 20 (Mctavish, White), 2:25; 8. Columbus, Laine 22 (Boqvist, Hutchinson), 6:43 (pp); 9. Anaheim, Jones 7, 17:23; 10. Anaheim, Harrington 3, 19:12 (en); 11. Anaheim, Strome 12, 19:26 (en). Penalties - Terry, ANA (hooking), 6:07; Jenner, CBJ (slashing), 11:15.

Shots on goal: Columbus 15-13-15 - 43; Anaheim 13-11-14 - 38. Power plays: Columbus 2 of 4; Anaheim 0 of 2. Goalies: Columbus, Hutchinson 0-2-1 (36 shots-31 saves); Anaheim, Dostal 4-5-2 (42-38). A: 13,475. T: 2:27.

 ?? JAE C. HONG/AP ?? The Blue Jackets’ Cole Sillinger (34) celebrates his goal with Jack Roslovic (96) and Kent Johnson on Friday. It was Sillinger’s first goal since Nov. 17.
JAE C. HONG/AP The Blue Jackets’ Cole Sillinger (34) celebrates his goal with Jack Roslovic (96) and Kent Johnson on Friday. It was Sillinger’s first goal since Nov. 17.

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