As the Blue Jackets have made a season out of games that have had ridiculous rises and falls, I thought it appropriate to share my thoughts on a period by period basis as the action unfolds. This is my first attempt at a reactionary recap rather than doing it post game, so enjoy the small change of pace.
The first period began with a lot of jump, taking more than seven minutes before the first whistle. While Columbus came out of the gate hungry, their second game in as many nights had them doing a bit of watching rather than reacting quickly towards the puck. Despite the back and forth, shots that actually hit the net came at a real premium.
Los Angeles struck first, scoring a powerplay goal (in lieu of a Dalton Prout hooking penalty) off the leg of Fedor Tyutin. It would appear the puck luck continues to favour the home teams on this Western swing. This goal, along with a number of minutes following, were basically all LA or neutral zone play. In fact, the Jackets could very well conclude the first period without a legitimate scoring chance.
The second period began with much of the same. Struggles to generate offensive possession by the Blue Jackets, fighting for the first six minutes to stop the downhill attack from Los Angeles. Possibly the most exciting play came on what could have possibly been Columbus’ lone shot, a wide open Dubinsky kicking a puck towards the net on a decent feed from Cam Atkinson.
One thing became quite clear around the mid way point; Bobrovsky once again intended to give this team a chance to win. Top tier saves on Stoll (twice) and Brown had the crowd “ohhh”-ing and the steak dinner IOU’s flying from the Jackets bench.
Shortly after the midway mark, Dalton Prout received a smart pass from Blake Comeau, and wristed home his first NHL goal. This came shortly after Keith Acton acknowledged that Columbus needed a much better forecheck, as Los Angeles would simply continue to wear them down if they were not careful.
With that goal, I personally expected the tide to change, but it was much of the same following. The Kings continued to press, and their second goal of the night came off the stick of Clifford, with Bob making the initial save and a handful of Jackets watching the net with their back to the point. This, along with a powerplay for LA, left Columbus only minutes to try and muster a comeback before the end of the period, but it simply wasn’t meant to be. Solid shots from MacKenzie, a decent chance from Boll, and a point shot by Tyutin missing the goal by a good five feet high and wide were as good as it would get. 1-2 entering the second intermission
The third period would likely bring a much more dedicated effort by Columbus to get the puck deep into Los Angeles territory, and while that was the case, the play was still very much both ways. Unlike last night where Anaheim sat back and focused defensively, it seemed as though the Kings gameplan for playing defense was keeping the puck on the opposite side of center. News out of the dressing room also noted that Matt Calvert, one of Columbus’ main energy arteries, would not return to play due to injury. Needless to say, a huge blow towards a tenacious forecheck.
A major break in the game came when Prospal was tripped taking the puck to the net, sending the Jackets to the powerplay. Unfortunately, Columbus was simply not up to the challenge in a powerplay that could have made all the difference in their season, turning the puck over and swatting at loose pucks rather than holding possession. Certainly if Columbus does manage to make the playoffs, one of the biggest adjustments that will need to be made is on the powerplay, where they seem to leave a player standing ineffectively in front of the opposing goal.
The final five minutes of the game spoke a lot towards this Columbus hockey team. Stymied throughout the game, they continued to fight for position in the offensive zone, pushing the puck towards Quick and a potential 2-2 tie. Sadly, it simply wasn’t meant to be, and Columbus’ five game win streak was snapped, leaving them two points ahead of 9th place Detroit who has two games in hand.
This is the 27th game out of the 45 Columbus has played this year that has been defined by a single goal. That is a staggering statistic, and their resilience has been excellent throughout. Coach Todd Richards noted that there was a lot on the line, and credited quite a bit of the game to LA’s skill level and commitment to the team. He also noted that Matt Calvert would be out for quite a while with a broken finger.
The results of this game leave the final three games as must win situations for this team if they want to get into the playoffs. While they hold a two point lead over Detroit and Dallas, they lack the regulation wins to beat them out of a point tie break and will likely need all six points to justify their spot. I hope you are enjoying this experience as much as I have. This team has truly worked beyond my expectations and I would love to see them be rewarded.
Carry the Flag!
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