Columbus Blue Jackets enter Stadium Series pep rally
Columbus Blue Jackets enter Stadium Series pep rally
Ohio State’s Victory Bell, located atop the Southeast tower of Ohio Stadium, started to chime shortly before the victorious Blue Jackets returned to their locker room Saturday night.
A gift from the OSU graduating classes of 1943, 1944 and 1954, the 2,420-pound bell has tolled for the past 70 years following Buckeye football victories. Members of the Alpha Phi Omega national co-ed service fraternity are charged with ringing it for durations of 15 minutes for most triumphs and 30 minutes for victories over a certain school located in Southeast Michigan.
It’s a big deal at OSU, so an NHL team with a nickname that starts with “blue” prompting the bell to ring speaks volumes about how much pride exists in Columbus for its sporting community. The Blue Jackets defeated “The State Up North’s” Red Wings, 5-3, in the NHL’s 2025 Stadium Series matchup at OSU’s famed Horsehoe, and the Victory Bell’s repetitious chime was the culmination of a fun, frozen day packed with memories and moments that won’t soon be forgotten in Columbus.
Here are five, among many, that stood out:
Justin Danforth’s Columbus Blue Jackets winner was timely, controversial and electrifying
Justin Danforth had quite a night centering the Blue Jackets’ third line, and not merely because he scored the winning goal just 1:07 after Alex DeBrincat tied it, 3-3, for the Red Wings late in the third period.
Danforth also assisted Mathieu Olivier’s tally for a 3-1 lead on goals scored 32 seconds apart late in the second and finished the night with a team-high six hits. One of those hits by Danforth, who’s listed at 5 feet 8, was a shoulder-to-chest smash that injured Elmer Soderblom (6-8) when the crown of his helmet knocked into the towering forward’s head as a result of the hit.
The hit sparked a near fight for Olivier, who rushed to Danforth’s defense, and wasn’t the only controversial play the Jackets center stoked. He also got away with a high stick against Simon Edvinsson seconds before scoring the winning goal off the rebound of his own shot.
Should it have been called? Did Edvinsson embellish it while throwing his head back when Danforth’s stick rode high? The answer might be yes to both, but it doesn’t matter now. Danforth’s goal counted, the Blue Jackets won, and he was handed the Jackets’ postgame donkey hat award that honors the memory of Johnny Gaudreau and his dry sense of humor.
“Johnny’s here with us in spirit and he’s been with us all year, so to get the ‘Donkey’ on a night like tonight … I know he’s laughing up there and calling me a donkey, because he liked to joke around with me a lot. He’s such a big part of our group, so it was big for us to get win for him and his family.”
Gaudreau family leads Columbus Blue Jackets into Ohio Stadium, out of home tunnel for NHL Stadium Series game
Speaking of Gaudreau’s family, they were included throughout the day and evening in ways that warmed hearts amid frigid temperatures.
Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny’s widow, and their young children — daughter, Noa, and son, Johnny — led the Blue Jackets into the stadium to conclude a spirited pregame walk from a pep rally at St. John Arena. Along with Jane Gaudreau, Johnny’s mother, the Gaudreau family also joined Sean Monahan and Erik Gudbranson to lead the Blue Jackets out of the home tunnel to start the game.
Meredith and Jane beamed, soaking in a special moment to celebrate the lives of Johnny and his brother, Matthew, who were killed Aug. 29 when struck by a drunk driver while they biked in Salem County, New Jersey. After the tragedy and heartbreak they’ve endured, seeing their smiles was uplifting.
Columbus Blue Jackets sport ‘Signature Johnny fit’ for NHL Stadium Series
Each team had a Gaudreau theme for their arrival attire to the game. The Red Wings wore jerseys from the Gaudreau brothers’ careers, while the Blue Jackets used a different type of Gaudreau authenticity.
Their arrival “look” was modeled after Gaudreau’s laid back fashion combinations, which he wore most of the time to and from practices. It was subtle, at first, and then overpowering emotionally once the reason became clear why they wore light blue Avalon Surf Shop hoodies, black sweatpants, black designer ballcaps and black UGGs.
The Blue Jackets’ veteran “leadership group” came up with the idea, including captain Boone Jenner.
“We thought of it quite a while ago and we just thought it was fitting,” Jenner said. “To us, that’s a signature Johnny fit, and we’ve seen him come to the rink in that or something very similar. It’s just a special thing we wanted to do for him, and we’ve had so many good times with him, in those clothes. I mean, it was special. … It was special to wear that and come in like that, for us.”
NHL captures OSU Skull Session vibes with pep rally
It wasn’t billed as a Skull Session, which OSU reserves for its free pep rallies inside St. John Arena that precede home football games, but the NHL PreGame Pep Rally mirrored the same look and feel.
Fans lined up outside the entrances of St. John Arena before doors opened, and they filed into the venerable building in droves. It was packed almost to the top by the time O.A.R., a band with strong Ohio and OSU ties, welcomed the Blue Jackets to the arena to start a free concert.
Watching players and coaches stroll across the stage, shaking hands with the band while a loud “C-B-J!” chant filled the historic arena was stirring.
“I didn’t really even know what a pep rally was, to be honest with you,” Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli said. “I mean, if that’s what those are, that was pretty sweet. The walls were steep. It felt like everyone was on top of you. That was awesome.”
NHL Stadium Series gives Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings fans sensory overload
A lot of eyes and ears got a workout, courtesy of the NHL’s event planning.
The OSU Athletic Band played sets at the pep rally and during game stoppages. Popular rock bands O.A.R and Twenty One Pilots, which both have strong ties to Columbus, gave free concerts. The Blue Jackets’ cannon blasted louder than ever. Roars from a crowd of 94,751 were impressive for each team.
The band also formed a version of Script Ohio on the ice during the opening ceremony, and that was before field level microphones gave fans the sounds of skates and sticks slashing across the ice.
Ring the bell.
@BrianHedger.bsky.social