Final Score: Blackhawks 5 – Blue Jackets 1
Game Summary
As good as the game on Friday was, it was that bad on Saturday. The Blue Jackets were not sharp and with the way Chicago has started the season they cruised to a victory. Joonas Korpisalo wasn’t awful but five goals on 29 shots is not going to cut it. On a back to back like that the Jackets are going to need a better effort from their goalie to at least give them a chance.
To be fair to Korpisalo some of the goals came from just horrific defensive breakdowns, particularly on the first two goals. Jack Johnson has been a much discussed player over the years. Those who follow analytics have felt he is not very good, though a lot of that talk was quiet last season as Johnson had a very good year. If he keeps making plays like he did last night those talks will be coming up once again.
Kane goal pic.twitter.com/tbtlV38517
— steph (@myregularface) October 8, 2017
Saad goal pic.twitter.com/c6ewaXWUnG
— steph (@myregularface) October 8, 2017
Regardless of your opinion of Johnson these were two really bad plays that directly lead to goals. Johnson is a veteran of these team and league. He has played with David Savard for years, these kinds of mental errors should not be happening. On the first goal, I don’t know what he is thinking, he goes for a huge hit on Nick Schmaltz despite Savard being right there and leave Patrick Kane alone on the other side. If there is a player on the Blackhawks to double team its Kane, not Schmaltz.
On the second goal Johnson is unsure whether he should cover the shot or cover the front of the net, he ends up in between and covering nothing. This is another play where Johnson should know what to do. It’s a penalty kill and Johnson has been a part of this PK unit for years.
Johnson’s night wasn’t all bad; he made a goal saving play, sweeping the puck off of the goal line.
Jack Johnson taketh away. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/8AP9GAdOZC
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 8, 2017
It was just one game, but giving Johnson’s history, if games like this start happening more regularly, the Jackets should give a serious look at Markus Nutivaara.
The Jackets have a couple days off to breakdown what went wrong. They are back in action Tuesday in Carolina.
Stat of the Night
Pierre-Luc Dubois after two games:
— Jeremy Crowe (@307x) October 8, 2017
+17 5v5 Corsi (66.7%)
+10 5v5 medium-danger Corsi (77.8%)
+4 5v5 high-danger Corsi (80.0%)
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.
You can follow me on Twitter @PaulBerthelot
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