BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — There's absolutely nothing wrong with Miles Wood’s vision. It was evident with the Blue Jackets’ fourth-line forward’s scoring touch in a two-goal outing on Tuesday night.
Two weeks after fearing he lost his left eye by a high stick, Wood scored the tying and winning goals in a 4-3 victory over Buffalo in his return after missing five games.
“Just happy to be back with the team,” the 30-year-old said.
Both goals required deft hand-eye coordination.
Wood tied it at 3 with 6:05 left in regulation by getting to the front of the net in time to deflect in Yegor Chinakhov’s shot from the left boards.
Then, 2:53 into overtime, Wood drove to the right post in time to deflect in Zach Werenski’s pass over goalie Alex Lyon.
As a fourth-line player, Wood earned his overtime shift on a hunch from the Blue Jackets coaching staff.
“Well, because we knew he was going to score,” coach Dean Evanson said with a laugh.
“But no, he was having a good night, right?” Evanson added, noting he and his coaches huddle before overtime to determine which players deserve ice time. “Woody was so physical all night. ... He’s a big body that just is continually banging and disrupting and getting in on the forecheck.”
Wood’s physical style is how he got hurt in the first place during the first period of the Blue Jackets home-opening 3-2 loss to New Jersey on Oct. 13.
Wood was heading across the front of the Devils crease when New Jersey defenseman Dougie Hamilton’s stick rode up the forward’s face, up under his shield and caught him in the eye.
“I think my first words were, ‘Is my eye still there?’” Wood told reporters upon returning to practice last week.
“That’s the most scared I’ve ever been,” he added, noting he initially couldn’t see out of his left eye.
A gash around his eye required about seven stitches to close, and Wood said he had to sleep upright in a chair so blood wouldn’t collect around the injury.
On Tuesday, the 11th-year player was back in the lineup to take the ice in Buffalo, where he was born as the son of former Sabres player Randy Wood. Though he grew up in Massachusetts, Wood has enjoyed success against Buffalo.
With his two-goal outing, Wood has now scored 12 times and added four assists in 22 games against the Sabres over a career that included eight seasons in New Jersey and two in Colorado. He's in his first season with Columbus after being acquired along with Charlie Coyle in a trade with Colorado in June.
“I don’t know why I always play well in this spot,” Wood said. “It’s been good to me.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
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