First Period
– Not the most enjoyable or entertaining period to watch, especially early. Shots hung around the 2-2 range for quite a while as both sides looked for “that all-important first goal (copyright Jeff Rimer).”
– Boone Jenner went to the box at the 7:16 mark for slashing, but the Jackets did what they’ve done often of late and killed the penalty.
– Things started to open up later in the frame, highlighted by a Mike Hoffman penalty shot with 5:51 left (Cody Goloubef committed the tripping infraction). The forward went wide on Curtis McElhinney and the goalie stayed cool, moving with Hoffman to stop a wrister in close and keep the game scoreless. Good work from McBackup, this is what you want to see early from your second string tender:
– Kevin Connauton and Curtis Lazar threw hands shortly after in kind of a weird wrestling match (not a pair of fighters) a few minutes before the CBJ went on the power play with about 37 seconds to go. No dice and we’re scoreless at the end of one.
Second Period
– Columbus caught a nice break with a Mark Borowiecki delay of game early in the second for a few seconds of 5 on 3. No goal, though Calvert did ring one off the post. So close breaking this one open.
– Brandon Saad went to the box for slashing and—hang on, let me make sure I get this right—the Jackets killed it again. More work to keep the home side scoreless until…
– The Sens drew first blood as Erik Karlsson cleaned up a missed Jean-Gabriel Pageau shot off the post. Mac positioned himself well on the first one and had no chance on the second. Karlsson had a wide open net to give Ottawa a 1-0 lead with 3:36 left in the second
– Karlsson added to that lead not two minutes later. Looked like Bobby Ryan got a piece of it at first, but they credit Karlsson on a weird fluky bouncing goal for a 2-0 Senators lead. Matt Puempel gets got for high-sticking in the final minute, but Columbus could convert. Six shots for the visitors in each of the first two periods.
Third Period
– The Senators mugged the Jackets for the puck in their own zone, taking it the other way for Mike Zibanejad to push in a half-whiffed slap shot for a 3-0 lead. But wait! John Tortorella challenged on interference and the officials agreed, waving off the goal to stay at 2-0. Mark Borowiecki pushed Fedor Tyutin right into Mac and it really isn’t even close. Good all from Torts and the officials:
– Lot of scrapping at stoppages soon after. Seemed like the Sens might’ve miffed. Borowiecki and Cam Atkinson go off at the same time, Saad follows soon after for 1:37 of 5-on-3 for Ottawa…shortly before Mark Stone and Matt Calvert get matching roughing minors at 5:57. This is “fun.”
– That said, Columbus closed the shot gap as they directed more pucks to Craig Anderson. Not all of them were glorious beautiful chances, but you gotta shoot if you want to score.
– Late in the game, Ottawa’s broadcast team something to the effect of, “Hard to see Columbus making a run if Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno don’t start scoring.” We’ve talked about how promising it is to see the young guys do well…but yeah, 19 and 71 have three combined goals this year. Your best players have to be your best players, Johansen’s 11 assists aside.
– Mac had to make another breakaway save on Mike Hoffman (albeit not on the penalty shot) on a 4-on-4 with five minutes left and had to turn in another strong stop on Karlsson soon after.
– Late on said 4-on-4, David Savard crunched Bobby Ryan for boarding. Initially two, then revised for five and a game as Ryan needed help coming off the ice. Take a look for yourself. Certainly looks like a shoulder-to-shoulder hit and definitely not a five minute major with a game misconduct. Perhaps a little late, but not criminally so. Tough break for the Sens if Ryan’s out long term, didn’t seem like malicious intent on Savard’s part, though.
As captured by @myregularface, Jarmo Kekalainen DID NOT think the hit deserved five and a game for Savard. The ol’ GM looked pretty fired up, more than we’ve seen during his tenure in Columbus. Oh, he also threw something, too.
Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen presumably reacting to a replay of the hit on Bobby Ryan cc @THWMark pic.twitter.com/onEiyOSTQO
— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 20, 2015
– Kyle Turris made it 3-0 on an empty net power play goal with 42 seconds to go. That was game.
Quick Thoughts
– We knew the Jackets had to lose at some point. To have the streak snapped in a dull 3-0 shutout to Ottawa wouldn’t have been the ideal way, though, and the Jackets lost the plot in the second and never recovered in the third (despite the shots).
– CBJ racked up 23 penalty minutes in the third period. Sure, 15 of those were David Savard’s (and there’s a good argument he shouldn’t gotten any of those), but it became apparent the officials weren’t brooking nonsense early in the stanza and that didn’t stop anyone. Fire is good until you get burned, and fiery Jackets headed for the box with frequency. Didn’t give Ottawa a ton of opportunities, but Cam Atkinson and Scott Hartnell and Matt Calvert aren’t paid to watch when the team’s down by two in the third.
– Curtis McElhinney played a very good game. None of the goals could be pinned wholly on him and he stopped 26 out of 28 shots. Solid road performance from your backup, and it’s impossible to win with zero goals.
– OK. Three straight wins, go on the road and drop one. It happens. Unfortunately, this team played so gawd-awful to start, they don’t really have the luxury of losing too many if they want to play after mid-April.
– Josh Anderson played 8:47 in his season debut. Ryan Johansen led all forwards with 19:45.
– CBJ try and wash the taste out of their mouths with a home date against the Predators tomorrow at 7 p.m.