Seen this movie before, haven't you?
The Hollywood script was not kind to the Blue Jackets on Thursday.
It wasn't any more benign on Friday in Anaheim.
They started well – as they do – but the Ducks took off in the second period and made this a long night for the Blue Jackets. That's two straight losses and a drop from wild card position for Columbus, which is tied on points (69) with Carolina but doesn't hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
START STRONG (AGAIN)
The Blue Jackets were the faster and more aggressive team in the first period.
Yes, it's true. Much like it was Thursday in Los Angeles...but it didn't last long.
Sonny Milano's goal gave Columbus a 1-0 lead and it lasted 37 seconds. That's all. Rickard Rakell came back on the next shift to tie it for Anaheim, but even in a 1-1 game, the Blue Jackets were in good shape entering the second period.
But, as we'll cover...
UNRAVELED
What a nightmare second period. No, that's not copied and pasted from Thursday.
The Blue Jackets' power play was so awful in this game that they yielded multiple shorthanded breakaways. Andrew Cogliano scored on one (and nearly had another, if not for a Sergei Bobrovsky save), Josh Manson scored straight out of the penalty box on a break of his own, and it was a struggle to get anything going in the right direction for Columbus. That spelled doom for them in this game, which is a shame because they had a chance to take it over if they'd only steadied the ship in the second.
DIFFERENT TEMPO
The Blue Jackets brought pace and energy in the first period Thursday. They did more of the same to start tonight's game, but in the second and third periods, they were almost unrecognizable. Slow, sloppy and full of turnovers...you're just not going to win games like that, especially against a strong team like Anaheim that's fighting for its own playoff chances.
OFF THE SCHNEID
Zach Werenski scored a goal that, in the grand scheme, ultimately mattered little. But for him personally, perhaps it's something to help get him going. We all know he's playing hurt, perhaps through multiple injuries, but he's an important part of the Jackets' offense and in the "rover" role, they need offense.
With 2:17 left in regulation, Werenski scored his first goal since Dec. 29 (25 games). It's been a tough road for Werenski as far as goal scoring, but this was the kind of goal we've seen him score before: a seeing-eye wrist shot through traffic, perfectly placed and he made it look easy.
TIME FOR THE KIDS
Artemi Panarin's woeful giveaway in the second period was uncharacteristic and kind of alarming. Cam Atkinson was off tonight, as well. Seth Jones and Zach Werenski had a strong game, but it was the play of Sonny Milano and Oliver Bjorkstrand that drew attention.
John Tortorella had all kinds of time for the two kids, especially later in the game, and they were bright spots in an otherwise brutal game for the Blue Jackets. Bjorkstrand was shooting, Milano was skating and making plays, and down the stretch it was those two who got significant ice time as the Jackets looked to rally.
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