The Columbus Blue Jackets opened the house portion of their preseason schedule with efficiency from begin to end. Elvis Merzlikins stopped all 19 photographs he confronted in two intervals. Denton Mateychuk, Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson all scored on their option to a 3-0 win over the St. Louis Blues.
The Blue Jackets managed a lot of the recreation from a photographs and possession perspective. They have been capable of rise to the event when the second known as for it.
The Blues had an prolonged two-man benefit within the third interval with Zach Sawchenko in web making an attempt to guard a 2-0 lead. The penalty kill got here up large and killed a 4-on-3, 5-on-3 and 5-on-4 benefit on the identical kill to take care of the shutout.
The one overarching theme to this recreation was some new appears the Blue Jackets have been exhibiting. That is the place we’re beginning to see the influence of head coach Dean Evason and what he’s bringing to the workforce.
Recent Begin With Objective
Evason has made one factor clear in the course of the early portion of coaching camp. It’s a recent begin for everybody. He even took it one step additional. He made a particular request of his teaching employees and people which were on the workforce earlier than.
“You undergo preseason and I don’t know a whole lot of these guys so far as what they’ve performed up to now,” Evason mentioned. “I’ve requested the coaches to not inform me lots about what guys have finished and what their personalities (are). I wish to attempt to determine it out myself and see what function they wish to play. We talked to them proper from the beginning. Should you don’t like your function, then change it.”
Kent Johnson was a standout on Wednesday evening. He regarded quicker and stronger. He additionally performed in all conditions, together with prime energy play and penalty kill.
It’s the penalty kill half that stands out. In Johnson’s Blue Jackets’ profession, he’s by no means performed a serious function in that a part of the sport. This places perspective on the recent begin Evason mentioned he’s bringing.
“I heard previous to coming right here what a rink rat he was and that he’s only a hockey participant. He simply desires to be on the ice on a regular basis,” Evason mentioned of Johnson. “I’ve seen that. What we’ve actually appreciated about him this camp is the tempo that he’s enjoying the sport at. He’s received great stick expertise. Appears to be like like he can stick out in a cellphone sales space, however he’s enjoying the sport at a quick tempo. That’s not solely offensively like we see him off the push…however it’s additionally a profit when you’re enjoying via the impartial zone and within the D-zone. That’s the kind of recreation that we wish to play as a gaggle, power, aggressive quick tempo. And he’s going it in all three zones.”
“Some guys wish to play on the penalty kill. We’re making an attempt a whole lot of guys in a whole lot of these areas. Do you wish to play on the penalty kill? Present us you wish to play on the penalty kill. Present us you are able to do it on the finish of the day and we’ll decide hopefully the proper guys to do it.”
You Would possibly Additionally Like
It’s not simply Johnson that’s benefiting from the strategy Evason is bringing to the Blue Jackets. It’s everybody. He’s combining educating his programs with providing the pliability for gamers to point what function they wish to play inside that system. What’s that system?
“Our system, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ system is aggressive,” Evason mentioned. “It’s in your face. It’s placing stress on you in all areas of the ice…Lucky factor is there’s a whole lot of hockey video games that we are able to proceed to show each evening and proceed to get them to go ahead with that aggressiveness.”
Sean Kuraly performed the function of top-line middle on a line with Yegor Chinakhov and Kirill Marchenko and was noticeable all through. Denton Mateychuk regarded calm and poised once more whereas scoring the opening objective of the sport. All through this preseason, there might be completely different appears. It’s all on goal. Whether or not Evason desires to see one thing for himself or if a participant asks to be in a sure function. This back-and-forth is a results of the recent begin everybody final.
What occurred final yr on the ice now not issues. Within the early going underneath Evason, all that issues is the right here and now. It’s actually a clear slate as he continues to get to know his workforce.
Facet Dishes
- Right here’s Merzlikins on Mateychuk: “He’s doing nice. There’s nothing so as to add. He did nice tonight. It’s not straightforward to get in like this. It was an awesome job.”
- And now Merzlikins on enjoying the primary house recreation: “It’s been superb. We now have nice followers. They’ve been there all the time for us. Regardless of good or unhealthy, they by no means quit on us. That’s why this metropolis is particular. Everyone seems to be right here (and) stick collectively good or unhealthy. They’re all the time right here collectively. They’re by no means going to place the knife in your again.”
- Mateychuk on Kent Johnson: “He’s spectacular. He appears robust on the puck. It’s arduous to get it off him. He used that to his benefit tonight. He regarded nice.
- Kuraly on Johnson: “You guys in all probability see it for the primary time with all of the lights tonight. We’ve been seeing that for a pair weeks right here. He’s been a canine on pucks and you may see his mentality. It’s no secret. It’s second effort on pucks and even when he loses the primary one. He’s looking these pucks. It’s only a begin. He’s off to begin.”
- The Blue Jackets are off Thursday. They’ll maintain a morning skate and apply on Friday earlier than the sport group travels to Washington for his or her recreation towards the Capitals. They host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday evening at Nationwide Enviornment. By the top of the weekend, half the preseason might be gone.