This is the worst kind of game to write a recap about. I close my eyes and stare at a wall. Yes, I wrote that correctly. I close my eyes first. Then I stare at a wall. Take a deep breath.
Alright.
Well, since the Jarmo Vote of Confidence (VoC), the Columbus Blue Jackets played pretty good, competent hockey. This lasted two games. In the preview, I hoped that the Dallas goals at the end of last game were more about the CBJ easing up. This was a false hope.
The Jackets lost 5-0 to the Dallas Stars. Here are as many details as I can stomach to write.
First Period
There were no changes to the lineup tonight as Torts sought to keep the ball rolling. 10 seconds into the game, Dallas had a primo scoring chance turned away by Joonas Korpisalo.
Uh-oh.
A couple of minutes later, Michael Del Zotto and Alexandre Texier decreased their defensive pressure the closer Andrej Sekera got to the net, giving Sekera space to whip a nice pass to Jason Dickinson. Dickinson swept the puck towards Korpi with the rubber going under the goalminder’s leg. The motion pushed Korpi backwards and the puck crossed the line. Torts called for a review, but the play was upheld.
I agree with the call. The puck was under Korpisalo, but Korpisalo wasn’t on the puck, if that makes sense. It kept moving from the initial contact by Dickinson. 1-0 Dallas.
Sorry, 1-0 Dallas and a power play.
Then, 2-0 Dallas after some guy named Joe Pavelski is left alone in front of the net with enough room to get a backhander through Korpi’s 5-hole.
This first period was an example of poor, lacking defensive pressure at the worst of times and a non-existent offense — 4 shots through the first 14 minutes of play.
Second Period
The Jackets came out of the tunnel with a bit more life, a bit more pep in their step, a bit more loose in their goose — I just made that up. I don’t know what it means.
Unfortunately, there was a bit too much pep as Gabriel Carlsson earns a couple of PIMs 5 minutes in, though no harm is done.
Basically nothing happens for the next 10 minutes. But with 6 and a half left, Emil Bemstrom keeps his legs moving and draws a pena… sigh, c’mon Rimer. The very next shift, Miro Heiskanen picks up an errant puck in the Jackets zone and wrists one past a Savard-screened Korpisalo. This seems to be a recurring occurrence in recent games. Korpi was perturbed. Dallas leads 3-0.
With a little over 4 minutes left, the microphones pick up a bunch of F-bombs. Just friends making dinner plans? Or Max Domi trying to do something to fire himself up? Domi has an itch that needs to be scratched, but no Dallas takers this time around. Around this time, Cam Atkinson was tripped and the PP came out again to do nothing.
Third Period
I can’t really find much to write about here.
Roope Hintz turns Domi around in the Jackets offensive zone, Gabriel Carlsson is waving his stick behind Korpi, and Hintz flips the puck over Korpi’s shoulder for a 4-0 Dallas lead.
Korpi is pulled. Veini Vehvilainen is in the game for his first NHL action! The Finnish Hasek!
Halfway through the period, Jaime Benn decides to pull Max Domi aside and give him a stern talking to. Both get 10 minute misconducts and hit the showers.
The refs give the CBJ a couple of PPs at the end of the game to make up for lost time, I suppose. On the last one, Dallas gets a breakaway and Radek Faksa cruelly ruins VV’s debut 5-hole. It didn’t look like the kid was at all prepared for a shot.
Dallas wins 5-0.
Final Thoughts
The Jackets are going to lose games. That’s not a big deal, per se. This loss was bad though. Poor defensive play, lapses in focus. Disappearing ‘Leaders’. Hopefully THIS game was the blip instead of the last two victories. If not? Well, nothing will happen anyway. The CBJ have a couple of days before they take on the Florida Panthers.