The Columbus Blue Jackets were not ahead in the third period on Wednesday night against the Montreal Canadiens. However they were tied for most of it. At a minimum, teams find ways to get to overtime even when they don’t have their A-game or energy throughout.
Just like most other nights this season, the Blue Jackets were not able to get to overtime. Instead, a late goal by Joel Armia with just 2:57 left in the game helped the Canadiens to a 4-2 win.
For the Blue Jackets, Wednesday night was not only a winnable game, it was a game they should have won. They held leads of 1-0 and 2-1 but each time were unable to expand their lead to multiple goals.
Setting the Scene
After a 0-0 first period that seemed to go by fast, Patrik Laine opened the scoring on what turned out to be a good play at both ends of the ice. He created a turnover, chased down the puck and then was able to score going against the grain. If there was anyone who needed to score, it was Laine. Being up 1-0 and having him score was a great start to the second.
But then in typical Blue Jackets’ fashion of late, they couldn’t enjoy the fruits of getting a lead. This 1-0 lead didn’t even last four minutes.
Alex Newhook scored to tie the game at one. The Blue Jackets were playing pretty good to that point. And it didn’t even stop them from getting the lead back.
For the second straight game, Yegor Chinakhov scored to give the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead. Two great plays by Zach Werenski and Dmitri Voronkov made the goal happen.
The Blue Jackets’ mission from there was to find a way to get the next one to go up by multiple goals. Not only did they not do that, they went on to allow three unanswered goals to lose the game. To say this one was a frustrating loss would be an understatement.
Locker Room Frustration
Perhaps no one in the Blue Jackets’ locker room was as frustrated as Werenski after the game. He expressed some hard truths that are facing the team in light of their recent results.
“2-2 hockey game going into the third period and I just didn’t think we pushed hard enough,” Werenski said. “We’re in no position to let points like that slip. I just think we had a lot more to give in here and we didn’t give it. And it’s frustrating coming off a big win against Boston, having a day off yesterday. The mood was good this morning and I just thought we had good moments in the game. But I thought for the most part, it just wasn’t acceptable to our standards and it’s a frustrating one.”
Werenski didn’t stop there either. Good teams find points when they don’t deserve them. They also find ways not to lose in regulation. He said this one needed to get to overtime at a minimum.
“In this situation, we have to find a way to get to overtime. Carolina, same thing tonight, get zero points out of it. It wasn’t a great game by any means, but you never know what happens in overtime or the shootout. You can get two points. Those are the games you have to find a way to get something out of it. Like I said, it’s just frustrating tonight.”
The Blue Jackets are a young team. However their results haven’t been because of their youth. Werenski didn’t hesitate stating what many fans already know watching the games.
“It’s definitely not the young guys that are causing us to lose games. It’s not on them,” Werenski said. “A lot of it’s been our veterans and older guys on the ice that have been out there for late goals and not finding a way to score and get the lead in a game like this. So it’s definitely not on (the young guys) at all. But I think just as a group, it’s finding a way to win. We haven’t really done that with this group yet and that’s a collective buy-in in every situation.”
“Getting pucks out, getting pucks in around the blue, in their blue. We haven’t done that as a group yet and that takes time. Unfortunately, we don’t really have that much time right now. It’s 20-whatever games into the season and we’re behind the eight ball. That’s why it’s so frustrating is because we have a good thing going right now with some of these wins and tonight’s one I feel like we have to have. Tonight, Friday, home games. It’s just a frustrating one.”
This leads us directly into the big issue facing the Blue Jackets and the one critical element of leadership missing from this team. It may eventually come. But as of now, it’s not there yet. That must change.
Blue Jackets Missing “That Guy”
Let’s make something crystal clear before we dive into this. The Blue Jackets have a good core of leaders in the room. While their styles are different, the team has leaders in different parts of their locker room.
You saw what Werenski had to say. That’s the stuff leaders say when things are not going well. Boone Jenner won’t hesitate to speak up. He called the game frustrating postgame as well. As Pascal Vincent mentioned postgame, he uses Jenner as the battery to determine where the team’s energy level is.
The Blue Jackets also have vocal leaders such as Sean Kuraly and Erik Gudbranson who will very much speak up when necessary. The leadership in the room is there but it is developing.
Here’s the question right now though. Who on the Blue Jackets is “that guy?” When you’re in a tie game or you’re up or down a goal, who is the player on the Blue Jackets they can turn to that says “Jump on my back boys, I got this. I’m gonna carry this team on to victory?”
Can you honestly say the Blue Jackets have anyone that fits this criteria at this time? While they have guys who could potentially fill this kind of role, it hasn’t happened this season. Look at all the close losses. Look at all the games they held a lead but eventually blew it.
Elvis Merzlikins has surely been better this season, no question. But has he played to a level of carrying the team when they don’t have their best game? Not yet.
What about their offensive firepower like Laine and Johnny Gaudreau? Are they playing at a level that they can carry the team on their back? Right now, that too is a no. Jenner leads the team in goals and gives maximum effort whatever he has. But he hasn’t single-handedly put the Blue Jackets on his back to rescue games. Adam Fantilli is going to be a great player. But he shouldn’t be asked to play that kind of role this early in his career.
There in lies the issue. It appears players are waiting for that moment to arrive and hoping someone rises up to carry the team in tough moments. Waiting and hoping doesn’t get teams very far. They have to go after it themselves. Someone has to be able to rise up on the ice and say “Follow me, guys.”
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The Blue Jackets eventually may get to a point where some guys reach that level of on-ice leadership. But as Werenski said, they don’t have much time given over a quarter of the season is gone and given their position in the standings.
The reality is the Blue Jackets are missing a critical element of leadership that they desperately need. They need someone or a couple guys able and willing to put the team on their back to help will them to points.
All you need to see are the game results. The Blue Jackets are playing good at times. But in the end, it’s the final score that matters. They’re losing more than they’re winning and they don’t have that player who can through the storm when a critical moment in a game needs to be met.
This starts with the veteran players. They must rise up and meet the need. Their play overall simply is not good enough. Until this part is addressed, it’s reasonable to expect more of the same, some good moments like the win against Boston. But then crushing losses like the ones in Carolina and against Montreal.
Who is that guy for the Blue Jackets? Maybe in time we’ll see who that is. Right now though, no one has answered the call. Until that critical leadership element is answered, expect many more up and down nights like we’ve seen recently.
