The Blue Jackets fell 5-2 to the Penguins in Pittsburgh tonight. It was a spirited affair, in the sense that there was a couple of fights, and about nine thousand cross-checks. Would have been nice to see a little more spirit in the Jackets actual play though. They were outshot in every single period, by a total of 35-24. This is especially distressing when you consider the Jackets were losing by multiple goals for nearly half of the game.
We’ve seen countless examples of the Jackets even-ing this up in the shot and/or Corsi departments when falling behind by two or more, but alas not tonight. Speaking of Corsi, the Jackets were crushed there too, by a 53-32 tally. Really, the Jackets were beaten handily in every stat that matters, and even a few that don’t.
The Good: Joonas Korpisalo
It speaks to the depths this season has fallen that the brightest part of the game for the Jackets is the goaltender in a game where the opponents score five goals. However, Joonas only gave up four of those goals. Allowing only 80% on the opposing teams goals sounds better than allowing 100% of them.
Also, Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin are good at hockey. No shame in getting scored on by them.
David Warsofky sounds like something that kills rodents, but is actually someone who scores power play goals when the Jackets put absolutely no pressure on the point men, then they move and have a clear shooting lane to the net.
The Bad: The Defense
Hey, guys who have spent most of your career in the NHL: Phil Kessel is good at scoring. Maybe stick with him sometimes. I will cut you slack on the Malkin goal, that was a funny bounce.
Injuries happen, but this group has some odd names in it.
Raise your hand if you thought Andrew Bodnarchuk would play for the CBJ this season. If you have your hand up, you are lying (probably). Also, why would you put your hand up, I can’t see you. That isn’t how the Internet works.
Anyway, I guess Fedor Tyutin has looked better lately than he did most of last season, Ryan Murray is still solid, and Jack Johnson is Jack Johnson for good and evil alike. Dalton Prout is adept at cross-checking guys really high in the shoulder without accidentally hitting them in the face and knocking out all their teeth.
That is tough to do.
The Ugly: Knees on Knees on Knees on Knees
So Boone Jenner’s knee hit Evgeni Malkin’s knee. Malkin looked to be very seriously hurt, although he was back in the game pretty quickly. Since, apparently, the CBJ are a bunch of goons who just try to hurt everyone always, this was probably on purpose.
Or it was a complete accident that happens all the freaking time in hockey.
Boone looked to brace for a full body impact, didn’t move his knee out at all, and even looked like he might have tucked his hip in a bit to avoid it.
But that doesn’t further any narratives, so let’s ignore all that because Brandon Dubinsky has done some cheap stuff to Sidney Crosby in the past. Therefore it is inarguable that a different player did something to another different player on purpose.
Twuote of the Game: John Tortorella via Aaron Portzline
#CBJ Tortorella, asked about Jenner collision w Malkin: “He got up, didn’t he? It’s like he was dead, and then he was out the next shift.”
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) December 22, 2015
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More Serious Quote of the Game: Brandon Dubinsky
“The top guys, myself…We didn’t play even close to good enough.”
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