When the Columbus Blue Jackets score, they make sure everyone at Nationwide Arena knows by firing off their signature cannon. It’s a feature that only enhances their home ice advantage, and something teams across the league have grown to despise.
The Boston Bruins will try to avoid the cannon as much as possible when they square off against Columbus in Games 3 and 4 of the second-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series. With the future of their season on the line, the B’s cannot afford to buy into the distraction.
David Pastrnak said wasn’t prepared for it the first time he encountered Columbus on their home turf, per WEEI.com’s Matt Kalman.
“No, definitely not. I had no idea what’s going on,” he after Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “I remember (coach) Claude (Julien) back in the day, he said ‘watch out for the cannon.’ But I didn’t know what that means. And then I heard it so yeah … it’s their tradition, every team has one.”
It doesn’t seem to bother head coach Bruce Cassidy too much, either.
“I hope I don’t hear it, obviously. After that, to be honest with you, I never really noticed it much,” Cassidy said. “You know the team scores, it’s loud, I’m pissed off, so that’s it, that’s the routine every time no matter where I am.”
We’ll see just how prepared the Bruins are when they take on the Jackets in Game 3 of the best-of-seven series on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
