Final Score: Penguins 5 – Blue Jackets 2

Game Summary

This one stings. Coming off a tough loss to the Flyers the Jackets absolutely laid an egg against the Penguins. This was another hugely important game and the Jackets did not show up for it. This game really feels like the last straw for many people. You can look at the numbers a 37-23 shot advantage or a 56.38% Corsi, but it’s the same story every game. No matter how well they play they always find a way to lose.

Sergei Bobrovsky had a horrendous game in net, two of the first three Penguin shots went in and the Blue Jackets right away were in a deep hole. Bobrovsky finished the game a .783 save percentage, his second lowest in a game this season. Bobrovsky was fantastic in the Flyers game and was the reason they got a point, but he was unable to come up with the big save in this one. The Jackets fell behind 2-0 couldn’t recover.

The Jackets scored two goals and each time it gave some hope that a comeback just might be possible. Each time though Pittsburgh came right back and put any chance of that to rest.

Short Bread (cc: @zekebud) teams up and gives the Blue Jackets momentum just for a moment.#CBJ pic.twitter.com/fxDsMWYM2C

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 18, 2018

Artemi Panarin and Cam Atkinson get together for this goal. Atkinson isn’t one to pass up shooting opportunities like this, but he makes the rare exception and puts this right on the tape for Panarin. That goal made it 2-1, it got the crowd into the game and for a slight second there was hope Columbus might make this a game. Pittsburgh however squashed any hope of that scoring just a few minutes later to re-establish that two goal lead.

The Jackets second goal came just a little too late. Alexander Wennberg found himself in a position with the puck he couldn’t pass out of and scored his fifth of the season.

The patience shown by Wennberg here is great. What a shot in close quarters too. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/2WQigrrohm

— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) February 19, 2018

On top of losing the game the Jackets also may a lost a couple of skaters. Dean Kukan and Nick Foligno both were forced to leave the game with injuries. Kukan was hurt after a hit in the first period, Foligno collided with a Penguins player and fell awkwardly on his leg. Losing either player for a significant time period would be a big loss. The Jackets depth hasn’t been great this season and this will stretch it out even further.

Stat of the Night

The Blue Jackets have outshot nine teams in a row.

In their past eight, they've outshot the other team by a combined 356-221, an average of 44.5 to 27.6 per game.

They've also risen to 1st in #NHL in shots/gm (34.9).

In those nine games, however, they're now 2-6-1.#CBJ

— Brian Hedger (@JacketsInsider) February 19, 2018

Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.

You can follow me on Twitter @PaulBerthelot

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