Blue Jackets Acknowledge Concern With Their Goals Against

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The Columbus Blue Jackets were hoping to win their fourth consecutive game on Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens. Although they were able to force overtime, they couldn’t come away with the second point.

Nick Suzuki scored early in overtime to lift the Canadiens to a 4-3 win. While their record going into the Black Friday game against the Calgary Flames is a respectable 9-9-3, the Blue Jackets have an overarching issue that needs addressed.

On Thursday, head coach Dean Evason acknowledged this was an issue they’re working to correct. They’re allowing too many goals against.

Defense Work in Progress

While the Blue Jackets’ offense is amongst the league’s best in terms of goals for, they’re 29th in the NHL at goals against per game at 3.62. Wednesday night against Montreal, Evason said his team didn’t have the same kind of speed they did in their last few outings which were all wins.

“We didn’t like our speed in that game,” Evason said. “And not necessarily just how we skated, but we didn’t play as fast as we have and certainly in the three games prior to that. We were playing a real quick game. We went over the analytics (Thursday morning) and Montreal had a lot of possession time in our offensive zone which historically, they haven’t had this year but they did because they beat us to a lot of pucks. So they had first touches and then we struggled to get it off them because we were just a little bit slower.”

The Blue Jackets still managed to get a point despite not playing well for long stretches. That’s a testament to their ability to put the puck in the net. Zach Werenski’s goal in the third period, his 22nd point in 21 games, tied the game. The team is 7th in the NHL in goals for which is helping to offset their leaky defense.

Evason said on Thursday their defense is an area of concern that they’re trying to work on.

“We’ve had some challenges keeping it out of the net,” Evason said. “We’ve got to really dial that in even through this little stretch we’ve had. We’ve given up way too many opportunities. It’s an area of concern.”

“We’ve worked on it here. We had the two days of practice and we worked on our defensive zone a lot to keep it out of the net. Our PK has struggled a little bit here too because of that. That doesn’t help with the goals against. We’re making a conscious effort to try to keep it out of our net as much as we’re trying to score goals.”

Dean Evason Columbus Blue Jackets
Dean Evason says the Blue Jackets have given up way too many opportunities of late. (Photo by Colin Mayr/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Blue Jackets face a team in the Calgary Flames that are in the opposite boat in terms of their output. They’re off to a great start in the standings but they have trouble scoring goals (26th in NHL) while doing a good job preventing goals (7th in NHL.) Friday will provide an interesting test to see if the Blue Jackets can start to show signs of improvement on the defensive end.

Thankful Blue Jackets

Thanksgiving is always a time in the United States when friends and family get together and celebrate with each other the things they are thankful for in life. It’s no different for a few members of the Blue Jackets.

We got to ask Werenski, Zach Aston-Reese and James van Riemsdyk what they’re most thankful for and if there was a Thanksgiving tradition growing up that they remember and sticks with them to this day. Here is what each had to say.

Werenski

Thankful: “I think it’s pretty standard. Family, friends, health, teammates. A lot of things to be thankful for. All my family’s healthy so that’s the most important thing. I’m very grateful for a lot of things.”

Tradition: “Watching the Lions. That’s about it to be honest. They hadn’t won on Thanksgiving in a couple years, so maybe a little something to prove.” Author’s note: The Bears certainly helped the Lions late in the game, but the Lions did get it done.

Aston-Reese

Thankful: “Honestly, the opportunity that I’ve gotten here. It’s been quite the journey from a full year in Grand Rapids last year to being in Vegas, not clearing waivers to being here. It’s just been really great. It’s such a good team. Really tight. There’s no egos in here. It’s just nice to come in every day. I’m very grateful. I’m thankful to be here.”

Tradition: “Just when I was a kid, you’d always get the sparkling grape juice. You think you’re drinking win but it comes in the wine bottle. Have the cool, champagne-like top that you pop off. That was always cool for me. It’s either grape or apple.”

van Riemsdyk

Thankful: “For me, just my family especially my wife and kids. It’s been three teams in three years so that’s a lot of moving around, lots of getting the kids settled. A lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes with my wife, our extended families, my parents, her parents to really help us feel settled and make each place a home. So I’m thankful for that.”

Tradition: “Growing up, we’d play a little football, backyard football so that was always fun. And the wishbone. That was always a good one.”

I asked van Riemsdyk if any of his wishes ever came true. He said he couldn’t remember. “I must not have been wishing high enough for stuff.”

Side Dishes

  • Black Friday will mark the first meeting between the Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames since the passing of the Gaudreau’s. The two franchises will be forever linked. The same two teams play in Calgary next week. The Gaudreau family is expected to be in attendance at the Saddledome.
  • Cole Sillinger, who missed Wednesday’s game against Montreal with an upper-body injury, will play Friday, Dean Evason said on Thursday. However Yegor Chinakhov is questionable for Friday. He missed practice with Evason saying he was “banged up.” We’ll see if he can play when Evason speaks around 12:15 P.M.
  • One last note on van Riemsdyk. He and his wife hosted 30 or so people including families for Thanksgiving. “It’s fun to coordinate stuff like this and get some of the guys together that maybe don’t have families here. It should be good.”