PREVIEW: Blue Jackets take on Lightning again Saturday
Columbus hopes to continue three-game point streak
On the other hand, each of the last two games have been overtime losses, leaving Columbus with just four points in those three games. A pessimist would point to those lost extra points in overtime as very disappointing, especially considering every game is a division game this year so those are critical points in the standings.
Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella is taking the optimistic view for the time being.
"Do we have to get wins in the column? Yes," he said Friday. "But last night, we took a much better step forward than that godawful game we played (Tuesday) in Detroit. Hopefully we can play a better game tomorrow and find a way to get two points."
The Blue Jackets played the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning even for long stretches in a 3-2 overtime setback Thursday night in the home opener, including a solid first period and a good response in the third that included the tying goal.
The major concern came in the second period when the Lightning really ramped up its game, dominating possession for stretches and finally taking advantage with a pair of transition goals in the last four minutes of the period.
"I think our energy was fine through the game," Tortorella said. "We have to clean up the neutral zone with some of the turnovers and some of the rushes coming at us. Those are odd-man rushes, but we have some people back in a few of those odd-man rushes and our coverages just need to be worked on. The neutral zone is the area I think we really need to clean up before we think we're going to get consistent offense."
Columbus still has just five goals in 10 games, an average of 2.00 per game, so at some point the offense has to start clicking for the Blue Jackets to make consistent moves in the standings.
"We still have to get everybody pulling the same way and doing things for 60 minutes or 65 minutes, whatever it's going to take," captain Nick Foligno said. "That's how these things start to turn, you have to grind it out almost and then you start getting your game."
Know the Foe
The Blue Jackets have to be sick of Brayden Point.
First, Point scored the goal that ended the epic playoff game between the two teams last year, a rip from the high slot that beat Joonas Korpisalo and gave the Lightning a 3-2 win in five overtimes in their Game 1 meeting.
Then a few days later, Point ended the Blue Jackets' season, as his overtime goal in Game 5 of the series gave Tampa Bay a 5-4 win and ended the series with the Bolts winning four games to one.
Then Thursday night, it was Point who struck again, scoring in overtime yet again as Tampa Bay took a 3-2 win in the Jackets' home opener in Nationwide Arena.
"That damn Point just kills us," Tortorella said Friday. "He's one hell of a player. He is a thorn in our side."
It's not just Columbus, though, as Point and the Lightning have made it a habit of taking down just about everyone in the NHL. The Lightning won an NHL record-tying 62 games in 2018-19, then won the Stanley Cup a year ago and have won all three games they've played this season even without 2019 Hart Trophy winner Nikita Kucherov.
Stamkos has a 2-4-6 line to lead the way so far, while Point is right behind with two goals and two assists and Anthony Cirelli also has a goal and three helpers. Blake Coleman, Mathieu Joseph and Ondrej Palat have scored twice thus far, and we haven't even gotten to perennial Norris Trophy contender Victor Hedman (0-3-3 so far).
Andrei Vasilevskiy, the three-time Vezina finalist and 2019 winner, has started all three games and has a 1.65 GAA and .941 save percentage having stopped 80 of 85 shots.
3 Keys to the Game
Slow down transition: Giving up goals on the rush has been a constant theme for Columbus this year, and Tampa Bay has one of the best rush attacks of any team in the league, with all three tallies coming in transition Thursday.
Strike first again: Maybe we should say it would be better to go down 1-0 considering the only game the Blue Jackets have won this year is one in which they gave up the first goal. Columbus is 0-2-2 when scoring first, but eventually that has to change, right?
Afternoon delight: The Blue Jackets' only win this year was the afternoon game Monday in Detroit. While it wasn't the team's best game, perhaps that experience playing at that time can help get their bodies ready for this one.
Of Note
Blue Jackets forward Oliver Bjorkstrand has a 2-3-5 line in the past three games. … Korpisalo has a .935 save percentage so far this year. … Cam Atkinson is two goals from 200 in his CBJ and NHL careers. He would be the second Blue Jackets to reach the milestone after Rick Nash. … Seth Jones has 195 points in his Blue Jackets career, leaving him five away from the 200 mark. The defenseman also has 198 career assists. … After scoring the team's power-play goal Thursday night, Foligno is two goals from 200 in his NHL career. … Columbus is winless against the Lightning over the past three-plus regular seasons, going 0-5-3, after posting a 3-0-0 record against Tampa Bay during the 2016-17 season.
Projected Lineup
(Subject to change)
Nick Foligno - Max Domi - Cam Atkinson
Boone Jenner - Alexandre Texier - Oliver Bjorkstrand
Eric Robinson - Riley Nash - Liam Foudy
Mikhail Grigorenko - Kevin Stenlund - Nathan Gerbe
Zach Werenski - Seth Jones
Vladislav Gavrikov - David Savard
Michael Del Zotto - Dean Kukan
Elvis Merzlikins
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratches: Gabriel Carlsson, Scott Harrington
Unavailable due to COVID protocol:Mikko Koivu
Injured reserve:Brandon Dubinsky, Gus Nyquist
Roster report:With Saturday's trade of Pierre-Luc Dubois, he and Emil Bemstrom will exit the lineup while Stenlund will go in at center and Gerbe at wing. Merzlikins will get his third start of the season.
