Columbus Blue Jackets Fall as Inept Power Play Continues
The Columbus Blue Jackets fall 3-1 in Montreal as they start a week with two back-to-backs.
Anyone that says that Carey Price won that game for the Montreal Canadiens is wrong. Anyone that says the defense lost that game is wrong. The Columbus Blue Jackets power play is the sole reason for this loss agains the Montreal Canadiens.
Carey Price played fine. Not other worldly, just fine. He was an above average goalie that stopped average chances tonight. Especially on the five power plays the Columbus Blue Jackets had. The Jackets had one man advantage where they generated significant scoring chances and that came in the third period.
Related Story: Power Play Problems Continue
The Jackets can not continue to have the power play be a momentum drain on the team. The man advantage unit plays so far away from the goal and doesn’t generate dangerous shots around the net.
What is so dumbfounding is that the Jackets talk about playing the game below the net offensively and do so when at even strength. The power play though is played around the blue line and half wall far too often.
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Price Vs Bobrovsky
The two best goalie in the NHL over the last three season faced off tonight and both were fine. Bob and Price each made one spectacular save but neither stole the game for their team.
Bob was beat early in the first period on a sloppy play from Cam Atkinson that led to a good shot from Brandon Gallagher. Later on in the first, Jonathan Drouin scored on one of the Canadiens three power play opportunities.
Price did get some help with three pucks hitting the pipe coming off Blue Jackets sticks. Bob did get helped once by the post as well though. This game didn’t come down to the Jackets hitting post though. That is a terrible excuse. All the blame falls on the power play.
On a nice note, rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois did score in his home province.
Next: Galchenyuk Future Jacket?
The Jackets will look to rebound as they fly back to Columbus tonight to play the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow. The back-to-back will test the Jackets as they take on a Metro Division opponent in an important game in Nationwide Arena.