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Columbus Blue Jackets: Staring Down the Barrel – Bolts by the Bay

By Lansing Murphy

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 29: Seth Jones #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 29, 2016 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 29: Seth Jones #3 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 29, 2016 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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NEWARK, NJ – OCTOBER 17: Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) celebrates after scoring during the second period of the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 17, 2017, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ – OCTOBER 17: Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) celebrates after scoring during the second period of the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 17, 2017, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Nikita Kucherov is on an historic tear. How do the Jackets shut him down?

CK: This is Nikita Kucherov’s world, and we’re just living in it.

As he’s already proven so far this season, he can score from any part of the ice any way he wants to. The way he scores seems impossible, and it is unless your name is Nikita Kucherov. To shut down him, you have to start by preventing pucks from getting to him however possible. That means locking him off, preventing passes whenever possible, and making them hard to revive all night long.

Of course, this won’t do it on its own, as he can get the puck for himself and score on his own just as easily. Speed and sacrifice will also be necessary to keep Kuch off the scoreboard. If you can’t get to him before he gets a shot away, you’ll have to get in front of his shot before it reaches the net. Of course, not every shot will hit the net, but with a shooter like Kucherov, better safe than sorry.

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