Do The Blue Jackets Have a Goaltending Controversy?
The Blue Jackets came out of a two game weekend with two points, after facing two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Their big win on Sunday is a positive result after a terribly disappointing outcome on Saturday, continuing to breathe hope into the fanbase that this team can be competitive. But the main take away from these two games might be the performance of their goaltenders.
The team came out flying on Saturday, dominating the first 15 minutes of the game against the high flying Penguins (get it?), and taking a 2-0 lead into intermission. It sure looked like the Jackets were going to snap the head-to-head losing streak against the Penguins. But as is standard when these two teams play, the team in black and gold came storming back, and took the game over.
It all started with a goal by Josh Archibald, one that Elvis would probably love to have back:
Have another look at Josh Archibald's tally which got Pittsburgh on the board in Columbus 🚨 pic.twitter.com/vE0Y8xaeW3
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 23, 2022
It seemed like the Jackets were in good shape after Kent Johnson potted his first career NHL goal just 14 seconds later, giving the team a 3-1 lead. But the Penguins kept chipping away, eventually finding a way to tie the game before the end of the second. They would go on to score 5 unanswered, and took home a 6-3 win over the Blue Jackets.
Now, it would be entirely unfair of me to pin the blame entirely on Elvis. Certainly, this team’s defense isn’t great … in fact, they really aren’t that good at all. But, hockey is a game of momentum, and a goaltender can make or break momentum for their team. They affect the game more than any other position on the ice, especially when it comes to making a big save, or giving up a soft goal.
I do think it’s fair to say that the first goal Pittsburgh scored on Saturday night, was a soft goal. Ask any goalie around the league and they’ll tell you they want that shot from that location. It should be an easy save, but he’s clearly over pushing and that’s an easy shoot in for an NHL player. At the time of the goal, the Blue Jackets still held an 18-10 shot advantage and were well in control of the game. They just needed a save here.
Their second goal, it looks like he just completely misses the puck. You can see him visibly frustrated with himself after the puck goes by, which is a common reaction from a player when they make a mistake. The third goal? Failed at clearing his own rebound, instead chipping the puck right into the slot.
Here's a look at McGinn's goal, which gave the Penguins their FOURTH six-goal game this season 🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨 pic.twitter.com/N5Zxn64vos
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 23, 2022
Defensive coverages get blown, leading to goals #4 and 5. The damage is likely done at this point, but the Penguins get one more goal behind Elvis, courtesy of an ugly rebound (see video above), which should never happen in the NHL. This puts the game well out of reach, as Pittsburgh takes a 6-3 lead.
One guy has clearly, vastly outplayed the other…
As Merzlikins struggles, so do the Blue Jackets. The team sits with a 3-4-0 record through 7 games, which doesn’t look too bad on paper. But consider the fact that only two teams in the entire NHL have scored more goals than the Blue Jackets (Pittsburgh and the LA Kings); yet they find themselves with a sub-.500 record, and a -5 goal differential … even after a blowout win on Sunday.
But the thing about a goaltending controversy, is that you need a second quality goaltender to make it a controversy. Enter Daniil Tarasov. He was excellent on Sunday, stopping 30 of 31 shots, leading the team to victory for the first time in his young career. His stat line through 3 starts looks pretty good – 1-2-0 with a 91.2% save percentage and 3.33GAA. It’s not like he’s had the easy matchups either; his games have been against Carolina, Tampa Bay, and the New York Rangers.
Daniil Tarasov not allowing any entry! 🚫#CBJ pic.twitter.com/lpfqlttyGe
— Bally Sports Columbus (@BallySportsCBUS) October 23, 2022
Compare that to Elvis, through 4 games: 2-2-0, 86.4%, 4.19GAA. His expected goals against is 11.5 through his 4 starts, yet he’s surrendered 17 goals; earning him the third-worst differential in that category in the entire NHL. That’s far from ideal from the guy who is paid and played like a starter in this league.
While it’s still very early in the season, the early returns on goaltending are obvious. With the way the NHL schedule works out, you have to win every game you can if you’re going to have a chance to make the playoffs. So for the time being, yes, maybe there is a controversy between the pipes in Columbus. One guy has clearly, vastly outplayed the other, and in my opinion deserves the net until proven otherwise.
Such an outcome may be just the kick in the pants Elvis needs to get his season heading in the right direction. We’ve seen him steal the spotlight before, many times. He’s a streaky goalie who is elite when he’s hot, and very average when he isn’t. When he’s cold, he’s amongst the worst in the league, and that isn’t really debatable. Maybe he’s just cold right now and needs to reset, find his game, and regain confidence. Sometimes a few nights off can help.
Imagine how much different the standings might look if this team has surrendered 5 fewer goals to this point. I don’t think they would have won every game, not by far … but it’s possible that they would be a .500 team or maybe even above. At least in that case, we might look back more favorably on some closer losses, and have a better sense of this team’s actual overall play, which really hasn’t been too bad.
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I would imagine that Tarasov sees at least the next start for the club, tomorrow night hosting the Arizona Coyotes. While you can’t call an out of conference game in October a must win; this one feels like a game the Blue Jackets should not only win, but win handily. It would not be surprising to see Brad Larsen roll with the hot hand, and give Tarasov a chance to run with the team after a big win on Sunday.
Lastly, what will they do when Joonas Korpisalo eventually takes to the ice? Tarasov is undoubtedly the future of this team, but with Merzlikins signed to four years after this one at a $5.4m AAV, it’s hard to see him taking over the reins this soon. Korpisalo is signed through this season as the backup; as the team looks to give Tarasov more playing time to develop.
But if he’s the best guy they have now, what are you saying to the team if you demote him? It’s a tough situation, and it’s going to be really interesting to see how things play out.
Next. Jackets Forming an Identity. dark