Game Day Report 11/2/13: Pittsburgh Penguins at Columbus Blue Jackets
By Mike Majeski
Keys to the Match Up
Basic Fundamentals: It seemed like the Jackets couldn’t even handle the basic fundamentals of hockey last night. There were sloppy turnovers and poor passes, but even worse was their ability to control the puck. Too many passes bounced and skipped over sticks and out of the zone, rushes never materialized when they should have due to the inability to gain control. One could argue that this was due to the ice conditions, but it did not seem to slow up the Penguins offensive attack. Today, the Jackets need to get back to the basics and make quality passes, take shots, and just slow things down.
Nov 1, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Keep Winning Face-Offs: One positive last night was the Jackets performance in the face off circle. Brandon Dubinsky was 10 for 15 on the night (67%). Ryan Johansen got off to a great start, but he started to trail off later and finished the game 7-15 (47%). If the Jackets are going to get back to fundamentals, then winning face offs is the first step.
Contain the Pittsburgh PP: The Penguins gave the Jackets a taste of how deadly their power play can be. They started out 2 for 2 on the man advantage, and almost made it 3 for 3, but the third tally was overturned when it was discovered the puck did not cross the line. The Jackets penalty kill has fallen to 27th in the NHL (75.6%), so they cannot rely on the PK unit to get them out of a jam, especially with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin taking the shots.
Keep the Crowd Alive: We all know that there is going to be a lot of black and gold jerseys in the crowd today. Pens / Jackets games at Nationwide Arena are notorious for Pittsburgh fan invasions. However, this just means CBJ fans need to be louder and more supportive than the invaders. While crowd noise may not directly affect the scoreboard, it can provide an energy boost to the team and at the very least, let them know they still have the fans support. On the other hand, the Jackets themselves have to come out with some energy to keep the crowd involved in the game. Strong play and an energetic crowd will prevent this from turning into a second Penguins home game this weekend.
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