Braxton Johansen? Blue Jacket pays homage to Buckeye in skills comp
The Ohio State Buckeyes are college football champions, so what better way to try to win a competition on the NHL's skills night than to channel the scarlet and grey.
Columbus Blue Jackets star Ryan Johansen did just that, wearing the No. 5 jersey of Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller during the Breakaway Challenge in the NHL Skills Competition at Nationwide Arena Saturday night.
Johansen breaks out the Ohio State jersey pic.twitter.com/PlFDvVzKaG
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) January 25, 2015
"I went to a Buckeyes store today and I was trying to find some helmet I could put on, like a football helmet, but they didn't fit, so they didn't have a big enough size," Johansen said. "My brain must be too big, just a smart kid, you know?"
So just a jersey it was. Add to that the adorable decision to use a little kid - the son of coach Mike Vogt - to help score his second goal, then pull out the "Flying V" for his third attempt and Johansen was the easy choice to be named the winner based on Twitter votes. That's a big improvement over his 0-for-3 showing in the 2012 Breakaway Challenge.
I see you @RyanJohansen19 pic.twitter.com/8vpBvh3fqu
— BRAXTON MILLER (@BraxtonMiller5) January 25, 2015
Miller missed all of last season with a shoulder injury. J.T. Barrett and then ultimately Cardale Jones helped lead the Buckeyes to an improbable title run. The elder of the three quarterbacks in the Buckeyes stable has already weighed in on the Johansen nod.
Johansen is already having a fine season with 17 goals and 26 assists. Wearing an Ohio State jersey in football-crazy Columbus should only endear him more to the fans.
