Coming off a 2-0 win over the New York Islanders, the Columbus Blue Jackets have been feeling fairly good about themselves. At 5-3-1 of their first 9 video games, the group was over .500 and displaying drastic enchancment in key areas.
However as typical, hockey continues to be the last word supply of humility. The Blue Jackets misplaced consecutive video games to 2 of one of the best groups within the NHL within the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals.
Nonetheless, being 5-5-1 heading to California had them within the combine within the standings. They have been wanting ahead to seeing how they might proceed to enhance whereas looking for wins.
On the midway mark of their California/Seattle street journey, the Blue Jackets haven’t received a recreation. Whereas they gained some extent in San Jose, they couldn’t discover something Saturday evening in Los Angeles.
The explanation the Blue Jackets haven’t been capable of finding success of late is straightforward and one thing inside their management. Not solely too many turnovers, however large turnovers that flip into objectives towards. There’s sufficient of a sample in these turnovers that makes this a prime precedence to repair of their upcoming video games.
Huge Errors
As head coach Dean Evason has stated a number of instances, groups will make errors. Given the best way the Blue Jackets are attempting to play, an aggressive and up-tempo type, errors will occur.
It’s when the errors flip into large errors and objectives towards the place it turns into an issue. It’s when it begins costing the Blue Jackets video games the place it must be addressed with urgency.
Right here’s what Evason informed reporters on Saturday evening after their 5-2 loss to the Kings.
“It’s key moments within the hockey recreation the place we gave alternatives. (I’m) not saying we gave objectives as a result of (the Kings) took benefit of some stuff. The primary objective, we flip it over. The second objective, we make an enormous mistake. Third objective, we flip it over. That’s three objectives. We bought a 1-0 lead. In key areas on the ice, we have now to make the proper reads or clearly not flip the puck over in key areas of the ice with the intention to give groups momentum to return again after us and we did that right here tonight.”
“We’re not disillusioned in our general recreation. It’s simply we’ve bought to scrub up these key errors in areas of the ice that we will simplify and once more, simply not give groups momentum to start out coming again or feeling good about themselves as an alternative of simply staying with the plan, staying with the programs, staying with the self-discipline and make them take it. Don’t give them these alternatives.”
Merely put, Saturday evening’s recreation flipped within the Kings’ favor due to large turnovers. Up 1-0 early within the second interval, the Blue Jackets had possession of the puck and a 4-on-2 benefit within the impartial zone. That often doesn’t result in a objective towards 10 seconds later.
Nevertheless Jake Christiansen’s go couldn’t be dealt with and was deflected forward. The Kings received the race to the puck. It finally ends up on the stick of Vladislav Gavrikov. His shot by a display tied the sport.
This turned the Kings’ catalyst for momentum that lasted the remainder of the sport.
Not even two minutes later, the Blue Jackets have been down 2-1. Evason known as this objective “an enormous mistake.”
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The Blue Jackets held possession in their very own zone. David Jiricek discovered Jack Johnson. Johnson’s go discovered Sean Kuraly. Nevertheless, Kuraly bought tied up with the linesman. The puck nonetheless bought to the Kings’ blue line. This once more shouldn’t result in a objective towards within the subsequent 10 seconds.
Jiricek pinched and bought himself out of place. This created a 2-on-1 rush by which Akil Thomas discovered Warren Foegele for the 2-1 objective. The Kings by no means appeared again.
The Blue Jackets had an opportunity to tie the sport early within the third interval with the facility play on a recent sheet of ice. As a substitute, Trevor Moore scored shorthanded thanks to a different turnover. Cole Sillinger fanned on a go from the purpose. The puck bought deflected to middle the place Moore received the race and scored. It was the game-winning objective.
Tuesday evening in San Jose, Alex Wennberg’s additional time winner got here on particular person effort by him. He break up Sillinger and Sean Monahan. Then Zach Werenski couldn’t get the puck from Wennberg. He lower inside and beat Elvis Merzlikins excessive. Whereas not a turnover, it was a mistake in protection permitting him the house wanted to create the profitable objective.
Last Ideas
Whereas these sorts of errors are correctable, they should be extra restricted. The Blue Jackets are at their finest after they’re inside their construction and making the right reads.
The beginning of this street journey confirmed what occurs after they slip away from that construction and make key errors. Holding a group to only 22 pictures on objective for the evening just like the Blue Jackets did to the Kings will often result in success. However errors and turnovers will take any success and throw them down the drain.
The Blue Jackets additionally received’t use the excuse that they’re a younger group. Whereas it’s true they’re among the many youngest within the NHL, that doesn’t excuse the type of errors they’ve made in current video games.
The Blue Jackets do get two extra probabilities on the street journey to attempt to make it a profitable one. In the event that they hope to win in Anaheim and in Seattle, they can not repeat the ending in San Jose and the way the second interval on went in Los Angeles.
The Blue Jackets aren’t enjoying terrible. However they’re additionally not enjoying nicely sufficient to win. In the event that they begin to restrict the large errors, good outcomes will comply with.
