Elvis Merzļikins | Foto: NHL
In the National Hockey League (NHL), the Latvian goalkeeper Elvis Merzlikins played an unsuccessful game tonight. Columbus conceded nine goals throughout the match and suffered a severe 2: 9 break.
Merzlikkin started the second game in a row at the Blue Jackets goal. The Latvian goalkeeper, returning to the field two days ago after an injury, remained unbeaten in the match against Carolina’s “Hurricanes” and for the second time in the season kept his goal intact, but tonight had an unsuccessful match and repelled only 11 (73.3%) shots made by opponents. Elvis scored all four discs in the first less than 14 minutes.
Carter Werneg beat the Latvian goalkeeper in the 44th second and put the Panthers in the lead (1: 0). After 83 seconds, Anthony Dukleir, playing in a numerical majority, once again upset Merzlikkin and doubled Florida’s lead to 2-0. In the middle of the first period, Makenzijs Vegars defeated the Latvian goalkeeper in the minority and further strengthened the team’s lead (3: 0). In the 14th minute, Vernegs disappointed Elvi for the second time in the match and achieved an already destructive 4: 0.
After Merzlikkin’s fourth goal, Blue Jackets decided to change goalkeepers. The Latvian goalkeeper left the field, but his place at the Columbus Gate was taken by Finnish puck catcher Jonas Korpisalo. Korpisalo was also unbeaten for a long time and was not a team saver – Jonathan Iberdo beat the Finnish goalkeeper (5: 0) in the 23rd minute, but in the 33rd minute Anton Lundels delivered the puck to his compatriot’s goal and reached 6: 0.
In the third quarter, Swedish striker Gustav Nyquist beat the former Blue Jackets goalkeeper Sergei Bobrovski and made the score a little more polite (1: 6), but in the run-up to Florida, Sam Benet, second to Lundel and Patrick Hecter, scored the second goal. already reached 9: 1.
Less than half a minute after Hernquist’s goal, Boon Jenner upset Bobrovski and narrowed the score (2: 9), but his Columbia fans had little consolation. The Panthers won for the fourth time in a row and celebrated their eighth success in the last nine games. Florida has scored 17 of 18 points in the last nine matches. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets suffered their fifth loss in the last seven games.
With 57 points won in 38 matches, the Panthers are the league leader. The Lightning is not far behind Florida. Columbus, on the other hand, currently finishes in the top ten of the Eastern Conference with just 35 points in 36 games.
The Blue Jackets will now be able to take a breather, as the team’s next game is only five days away (January 21), when the guests will have to meet one of their direct rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers.
