After a frustrating and painful loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, the Blue Jackets needed a strong start to help jump on the struggling Red Wings and maybe boost a little of the club’s flagging confidence.
They didn’t really get it.
Detroit jumped on the Jackets from the start, and their hard push paid off early when Nick Jensen cashed in, taking advantage of a defense caught puck watching.
The Jackets continued to scramble for a few minutes, but began to dig out as they approached the midpoint of the period, getting the boost they needed when Boone Jenner sent Brandon Dubinsky in on Petr Mrazek to get the Jackets back on the board, then taking a lead a few minutes later when Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson put on a passing clinic which ended with Cam finding the back of the net for the 2-1 lead.