The Columbus Blue Jackets avoided stretching their losing streak to eight games when they beat the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. They were looking to turn that into a winning streak with a victory against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
The CBJ fought hard and made it through the first period tied 0-0. However, it was all downhill from there as the Senators ripped off four unanswered goals and secured the 4-0 victory against the Blue Jackets.
Blue Jackets Trending Down
With this shutout loss, Columbus has now dropped eight of nine and 14 of the last 18 contests. They are tied for the second-worst record in the league, the Blackhawks being the only team with fewer points.
This bodes well for the club's chances of getting a top-three pick in this year's NHL draft. With names such as Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, and Leo Carlsson, this draft is teeming with star potential at the top end. However, the prospect of losing the vast majority of the rest of their games is a daunting one for the Blue Jackets' fifth line.
Korpisalo's Up-And-Down Game
Time to get on the board
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 4, 2023
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Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo started strong for Columbus, not allowing a goal in the first period. Unfortunately, the second frame was a completely different story as he let in three goals in eight-and-a-half minutes. He then tightened up the net, finishing the second with eight straight saves.
He finished the game with a respectable .906 SV%.
Unbalanced Power Play
The Jackets have had their fair share of power play issues this season, and this game was no exception. This time the main issue was opportunities or lack thereof. On the one hand, the Blue Jackets made plenty of mistakes, giving the Senators six PP chances, leading to two PP goals against Columbus. On the other hand, they were unable to create very many opportunities for themselves and ended up with just three PPs on the night.
Next Up
The Blue Jackets return home to battle the Washington Capitals at Nationwide Arena on Thursday. The puck drop is at 7 p.m. EST.
