Post Battle #68: Korpisalo struggles but the offense picks him up (Blue Jackets)

Blue Jackets

Post Battle #68: Korpisalo struggles but the offense picks him up

By Paul Berthelot

Mar 9, 2018 • 7:11 am

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Final Score: Blue Jackets 5 – Avalanche 4

Game Summary

The Jackets played well in this game but a shaky goaltending performance from Joonas Korpisalo almost cost them the game. Korpisalo was making his second consecutive start in place of the sick Sergei Bobrovsky. He was not nearly as good as his previous start. This has been Korpisalo’s problem all season. He alternates good starts with bad ones.

The Jackets fell behind early with the Avalanche scoring twice in 11 seconds. There was contact on the first goal and I thought a bit of a screen on the second one, but Korpisalo has to have that second goal. You don’t want to fall behind that fast that early in the game. To the Jackets credit they responded well, they had a great second period, Korpisalo included. He unfortunately had a difficult third period and it almost cost the team a point. The third goal was a power play goal, fine. The fourth one was inexcusable. That was a soft goal late in the game. You need to make that save.

Fortunately the rest of the team played extremely well and picked up their goaltender. The Jackets outplayed the Avalanche big time, outshooting them 44-27 and had a 58.14% Corsi at 5 on 5. At one point during the game the Avalanche went 17 minutes without a shot. The Jackets defence played really well in a game they really needed too.

The Jackets offense stepped up and provided some run support for their goalie. Those first two goals could have sunk the Jackets and ended the game before it even got started. The Jackets though were resilient and took advantage of some Avalanche mistakes and got themselves back in the game.

It was Boone Jenner getting the Jackets on the board first. Two Avalanche defenders collided and the Jackets took advantage.

That line with Jenner, Alexander Wennebrg and Thomas Vanek was incredible in this game. Wennberg was on the ice for just a single shot attempt against at 5 on 5. The trio finished as the three highest Corsi players on the team. They got the Jackets rolling with that first goal, then tied the game in the second on Thomas Vanek’s first as a Jacket.

They then extended the Blue Jackets lead on another Vanek goal.

Vanek had a slow start to his Blue Jackets career. It took some time for him to get adjusted and find chemistry with his new line mates. It looks like he's found it now. It’s a very odd line with three players with very different and unique skill sets but it seems to be working. If this line can consistently produce it takes a ton of pressure off of Artemi Panarin and that top line.

In between those two Vanek goals was Zach Werenski’s 14th of the season.

Werenski doesn’t use the slap-shot often but it’s worked for him in the past two games. He has goals in back to back games and six points in his last five games. That goal puts Werenski into second place among defencemen goal scoring this season. He sits just one goal back of Dougie Hamilton and P.K. Subban for the league lead. Werenski isn’t putting up the same number of points as last season, but he’s finding a way to put the puck into the net.

Overtime was needed to settle this game. In overtime it was Seth Jones scoring his 11th, and second game winning goal of the season.

Jones and Weresnki each had really good nights. Jones had three points, and in the process set a new career high with 44 points. Werenski had a multi-point game and extended his career high in goals. When those two are going the Jackets are tough to beat. It’s hard enough having to defend Panarin, let alone having not one but two defencemen roaming around the offensive zone.

Stat of the Night

Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and Hockey-Reference.

You can follow me on Twitter @PaulBerthelot

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