"I think my reaction said it all," Kuraly said. "It was a big one, a fun one. It's tough to see it that way right now after a tough loss, but it was nice to get that first one."
Not only did Kuraly get a first one, he got a second one later in the game with a nifty toe-drag deke past All-Star John Carlson and fantastic finish, but as he said, it sort of felt all for naught given the Jackets' 4-3 loss to Washington on Friday night.
But if there's a positive to take into
tonight's second of a back-to-back in Nationwide Arena against the New York Rangers
-- other than a generally solid all-around showing last night by the Jackets -- it's that players like Kuraly and Gustav Nyquist got on the board.
Nyquist has admitted it has taken him some time to knock the rust off after missing all of the past season with a shoulder injury, but his second goal of the season came on a breakaway midway through the middle period and tied the game for the Jackets. It was a just reward for a veteran who has seen his game build throughout the past few games but had not yet seen the impact on the score sheet.
"Just because you score doesn't mean you are going to feel automatically back to normal," he said. "It's a process, but I feel more and more comfortable out there."
For fans attending, the Blue Jackets are partnering with The Salvation Army to raise money during the Army's annual Red Kettle campaign. Fans who wish to donate can locate the Red Kettle Ringers on the Front Street and McConnell Plazas before doors open and through the first period.
