Sigh.
I guess this is what happens when you have one team in the playoff race who got better at the deadline, and another team that is playing 5 AHLers among its 18 skaters.
First Period
Things started well! Vegas dominated possession in the early minutes but the first Columbus shot on goal went in, courtesy of Erik Gudbranson.
There was a good push at the end of the period as well, including a Johnny Gaudreau shot that went in, but was just after time had expired.
Second Period
The Blue Jackets got a power play opportunity early in the second period, but rather than expand their lead, they managed just one shot on goal and struggled to gain entry into the offensive zone.
Shortly after that, Vegas tied it. Ivan Barbashev got a shot off of an offensive zone faceoff win, then scored off his own rebound.
Jack Eichel scored the go-ahead goal, for the 500th point of his career.
Jody Shelley sounded like Baghdad Bob “to end that period just down 2-1!”
Shots on goal were 23-3 that period. Shot attempts were 35-6
Mathieu Olivier put it well: “I don’t know what the hell we’re doing out there.”
Third Period
Would the Blue Jackets respond?
Nah.
Pavel Dorofeyev got behind Zach Werenski and made a nice deke to get Tarasov out of position to make it 3-1
Late in the third, Olivier was called for delay of game for shooting the puck over the glass, and Eichel got his second goal of the night on the ensuing power play.
We can’t score a power play goal, like, ever, but Vegas has a guy fall down and still manages to score. What the hell.
Silver lining: Carson Meyer scored a rebound goal with under 12 seconds left
Final Thoughts
Sure, it’s the back half of a road back-to-back, but there’s no excuse to be THAT bad in the second period.
It’s also inexcusable to be outshot 17-9 in the third period. No pushback there? Really?
Daniil Tarasov saved 0.48 goals above expected. He did all he could despite getting no help from his teammates.
The Boone Jenner line got annihilated tonight, and they can’t even use the excuse of playing top competition; they were facing mostly the fourth line. They were out-attempted 2-26 at 5v5, and had two-and-a-half minutes more than any other line.
Cole Sillinger led forwards in ice time and had a positive shot attempt differential in all situations. He did well to shut down the Eichel line in the first period, but then Bruce Cassidy was successful in getting Eichel different matchups in the other 40 minutes.
Up Next
The Blue Jackets remain in the desert and will play the Coyotes in Tempe on Tuesday night at 10:00 p.m.