The Blue Jackets extinguish the Penguins

Werenski and the Blue Jackets burn bright in Columbus

Two ghosts of qualification night

A year ago, both of these candles went cold on qualification night. The Florida Panthers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Boston Bruins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets. This season both clubs survived the opening night: Pittsburgh snuffed the Bruins and Columbus doused the Maple Leafs. Now, in the Round of 16 at Nationwide Arena, one of them would go dark again. On last season's form the Penguins were favourites, 19th in the league to the Blue Jackets' 29th.

Werenski strikes early

Columbus came out firing. Zachary Aston-Reese tipped one in at 2:20. Then, with Drew O'Connor serving a hooking minor, Zach Werenski let a slap shot fly at 8:39 for a two-goal lead. Pittsburgh answered at 11:51, when Anthony Beauvillier tipped in a feed from Sidney Crosby. The game then went 20:15 without a goal, until Michael Bunting wristed a power-play goal at 12:06 of the second. All square at 2-2.

Olivier tips the scales

The tie held for 4:21. At 16:27 Mathieu Olivier snapped home the winner, set up by Werenski and Dante Fabbro. In the third the Jackets pulled away: Dmitri Voronkov wristed one in at 1:56, defenseman Damon Severson snapped one in at 9:49, and Cole Sillinger hit the empty net at 15:32. Tristan Jarry made 33 saves on 38 shots, and it still wasn't enough. Elvis Merzlikins turned aside 21 of 23. Pittsburgh's flame was blown out, and Columbus burns on as one of nine still lit.