Blue Jackets

Post Battle #30 vs Winnipeg Jets

Dec 11, 2015 • 1:42 pm

Final Score: Jets 6 – Blue Jackets 4

Game Summary

Well if that is life without Sergei Bobrovsky Columbus is going to be in for a long three weeks. Mark Scheifele scored 27 seconds into the game, the first of three opening period goals for the Jets. From there they never looked back on their way to a 6-4 victory.

Curtis McElhinney did not play well. He let in five goals and had a .853 save percentage. His career sv% is .905 so these clunkers are going to happen. This again addresses why Columbus needs to improve the backup goalie position. Same as with the start of the season, they need someone better who they trust to play if Bob struggles or gets injured like we have seen. The Blue Jackets also have the most back to backs of any team. It would be nice to rest Bob on some of those games rather than ride him into the ground like they did.

To be fair to Mac the offence did him no favours. The Jackets were heavily outshot and out chanced through two periods. They were outshot 26-12 and out chanced 21-11 through two. What saved the Jackets was score effects in the third. The Jets sat back on their big league and let the Jackets back into the game. It didn’t cost the Jets but that is one of the risks of sitting back. If you let the team back into the game, it’s very hard to flip the switch back on and go score. I'm hoping we get to see Joonas Korpisalo in the next game. It’s unfortunate but it’s time to start looking toward the future. I'm not saying actively go out and tank. But the team needs to start making decisions with a gear towards next season. That means seeing what you have in Kopisalo, continue to give Alexander Wennberg and William Karlsson lots of ice time, making sure the kids in Lake Erie are developing etc.

Speaking of Wennberg he had a fantastic game. He picked up three primary assists and played the second most ice-time behind Johansen among forwards. He now has five points in his last three games after having just one the previous 15. He looks to be starting to come into his own. Hopefully this hot streak leads to some more consistent offensive production.

Finally, Winnipeg has some of the best fans in the league.