Blue Jackets Offense, Penalty Kill Sputter In 3-0 Shutout Loss To Flames

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For just the second time this season, the Columbus Blue Jackets were held without a goal in a 3-0 loss to the Calgary Flames at an emotional Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday night.

Both teams honored the memories of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau before the game, with a video package and honorary puck-drop.

After the game, Johnny Gaudreau was named the First Star of the night. He was presented by his father, Guy, bringing a smile to the dad of Johnny and Matthew in a beautiful touch to cap the evening. 

After a scoreless first period — one that ended the Blue Jackets streak of 16 straight regulation periods with a goal (tying a franchise record) — the Flames would strike first on the power play in the middle of the second period. 

Calgary would add another power play goal in the final three minutes of the game, with an empty-netter to make it 3-0.

"We have to find a way to kill some penalties right now. It's been shooting us in the foot," said Zach Werenski. "Tonight it's the reason why we lose that game."

The Blue Jackets were held to a season-low 16 shots on goal, all turned away by Calgary netminder Dan Vladar. It's Columbus' fewest shots by quite a bit, having picked up at least 22 in each of their first 23 games.

"We didn't have the same 'pop' that we usually have," said head coach Dean Evason. "We just didn't have that extra that we've had consistently here as of late."

Evason dismissed the idea that the pre-game events had anything to do with the loss or the effort.

"They have the same thing right, it's in their home building," said Evason. "(Johnny) was their guy, too."

Here's how it went down on a night dedicated to the Gaudreau's:

1st Period:

(3:06 — Elvis Saves): In a relatively quiet first period, the highlight (which would've been a Zach Werenski goal, but the Flames made a successful challenge for offsides) was these quick back-to-back saves from Merzlikins. 

easy peasy pic.twitter.com/IoVqBzUdGc

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) December 4, 2024

Columbus was outshot 9-6 for the period, out-chanced 15-10, and Calgary had all six of the high-danger chances in the opening twenty — including the two above turned away by Merzlikins. 

2nd Period

(10:14 — Calgary Goal): It took more than half the game, but it's the Flames who connect for the first goal of the evening to take a 1-0 lead. Rasmus Andersson gets his sixth of the season on a power play tally. After a success kill in the opening frame, the penalty kill woes for the Blue Jackets rears its head again here: it's the 10th straight game that the opposition has scored on a power play.

3rd Period

(17:53 — Calgary Goal): Kevin Bahl gets his first goal of the season and just like the first one, this one comes on a power play to make it 2-0 Calgary and really put the game out of reach, given the Blue Jackets' offensive struggles on the evening.

(19:40 — Calgary Goal): Yegor Sharangovich scores an empty-net goal to make it 3-0 and seal the deal. 

Stat Chat:

• The Blue Jackets went the last 5:50 of the first period without a shot on goal and didn't get their first SOG in the second period until just 2:09 left. That's a stretch of 23:41 without a shot on goal, a season long. Columbus was at nine shots on goal through two periods.
   
• All of the point streaks came to an end: Kent Johnson had one in each of his first nine games played, Zach Werenski was riding an eight-game streak, and Dmitri Voronkov had four goals in his six-game point streak.
   
• In the last ten games, the Blue Jackets penalty kill has allowed at least one goal in each game and 14 overall in 36 chances. That's a 61.1% penalty kill dating back to November 12th in Seattle, which marked the end of Columbus' last five-game road trip.

Up Next:

The mid-way point of the five-game road trip comes Thursday night when the Blue Jackets head a little farther north in Alberta to do business with the Edmonton Oilers. Puck-drop is set for 9:00 p.m.