If there is a positive to be taken from the Jackets current three-game winless streak it's that they've at least earned a point in each of those losses. Montreal downed Columbus, 3 - 2, in the shootout last night dropping the Jackets record to just 6 - 10 - 3 on the season. In their last nine the club is 1 - 5 - 3 and the Jackets have descended to the bottom of the Metro Division standings.
Once again a flat second period would come back to haunt Columbus. After tallying twice in the first and holding on to a 2 - 1 lead, the Jackets were outshot 15 - 6 and surrendered the tying goal by Lars Eller.
RJ Umberger got Columbus on the board netting his fourth goal of the season. The veteran's production is finally starting to come around with Umberger scoring his 8th point in his last 12 games after beginning the season with just two assists in his first seven.
Artem Anisimov snapped a seven game pointless drought with his fifth goal of the season briefly giving Columbus a two goal advantage.
Second year forward Alex Galchenyuk halved the Columbus lead with just eight seconds remaining in the first period. Fedor Tyutin twice failed to clear a bouncing puck up the ice and Galchenyuk took advantage corralling the loose puck and beating Curtis McElhinney with a forehand shot.
McElhinney was good, stopping 38 of 40 Montreal shots through OT. I was concerned that McElhinney would be unable to provide the Jackets with quality starts in goal on nights the team chose to rest Sergei Bobrovsky but the journeyman back up has bee more than solid. He owns a GAA of 1.94 and boasts a Save % of 93.6 in five appearances this season.
Of the last three losses, two of which came in OT and the third via shootout, none was as disappointing as the Washington game. Columbus held a late lead before allowing the tying goal with just 1:45 remaining. Alex Ovechkin would win it for the Capitals in OT.
On the injury front, Marian Gaborik will be on the shelf for the next 4 - 6 weeks with a sprained left knee. Gaborik has been struggling with just one assist in his last eight games. Perhaps the time away will help the Slovakian sniper regain his focus and allow to him to get his game back on track. The Jackets need a healthy and productive Gaborik if they want to make a run at a playoff spot.
Columbus heads out on the road to face Ottawa tomorrow. After a somewhat slow start, Ottawa has won four of five to raise their record to 8 - 7 - 4 on the campaign. The first win during that stretch was a 4 - 1 decision over the Jackets in Columbus back on November 5th. The Jackets would surely like to pay the Sens back for that loss.