Blue Jackets drop eighth consecutive road game in 4-0 loss to Ottawa Senators
As the clock ticked down on the Blue Jackets' 4-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, already their 23rd loss in a season only 36 games old, color analyst Jody Shelley summed up the state of the losing team.
"They're fragile right now," Shelley said.
Though the Blue Jackets (11-23-22) ended 2022 on the briefest of high notes with a win over the Chicago Blackhawks to halt a seven-game losing skid, they fell right back into the patterns that led to those seven straight losses Tuesday at the Canadian Tire Centre as the Senators (18-17-3) cruised to the victory.
The two teams played a relatively even first period, with neither side establishing a firm advantage on the score sheet or in the run of play. But just 1:08 into the second period, Marcus Bjork went to the penalty box for hooking — the first of four penalties the Blue Jackets took in the second period alone — and the Senators took the lead on the ensuing power play. Former Blue Jacket Derick Brassard scored the opening goal at 2:59 of the second.
Tim Stützle added to the lead just four minutes later, and the Senators scored another power-play goal at 11:31 of the second period on their third opportunity of the period. The Blue Jackets were outshot 15-4 in the second period and 34-22 for the game.
In the third period, despite trailing 3-0, the Blue Jackets didn't produce much offense in a quest for a comeback. It was better than the second period, but that's a low bar to meet; even with one partial and one full power play in the final 20 minutes, they still generated just nine shots.
Austin Watson delivered the final blow with a shorthanded empty-net goal with 3:19 left to play.
"The first was very even," coach Brad Larsen said. "We had some really good looks and we don’t score. That’s fine. Then you get down, you get down again, you get down again. Now, there’s no rhythm. We’ve lost all of it. ... You’re chasing it for all the wrong reasons when you’re down 3-0."
Columbus Blue Jackets takeaways from 4-0 loss to Ottawa Senators
Parade to penalty box sinks Blue Jackets against NHL's fourth-best power play
The Senators entered Tuesday's game with 38 power-play goals in 37 games, and the fourth-highest conversion rate in the league at 27.7%. That percentage rose slightly after scoring two goals in five opportunities Tuesday, up to 28% on the year and 40 power-play goals in 38 games.
Identifying where the game slipped away from the Blue Jackets wasn't a mystery for Larsen.
"We took four," Larsen said. "What do you expect is going to happen against a good power play? It’s just silly. They’re all penalties. Every single one of them. We have to skate and we didn't. We’re hooking hands, we’re reaching. They’re all penalties. That’s it. That’s the storyline right there."
The Blue Jackets killed off the one penalty they took in the first period, a cross-checking penalty on defenseman Erik Gudbranson. But in the second period, the Senators scored twice on four power-play opportunities — two hooks by Bjork, a cross-check by Kent Johnson and a trip by Gustav Nyquist.
Bjork's second penalty, a hook on the hands of Drake Batherson, may have saved a goal, and the Senators didn't score on the ensuing power play. But the other three were the kind of penalties that have no potentially-beneficial purpose, and only serve to add to the misery for a bottom-dwelling team trying to eke out a road win.
"You can avoid some," defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov said. "Sometimes, you have to do that because the game dictates that, the situation dictates that, and you try to save the team on a goal, but sometimes, you can avoid them. ... We can’t take too many penalties like that, especially in the one period. Their power play is pretty lethal and we got burned on that. We have to be careful, but it’s on us."
Offense sputters yet again
Tuesday was just the third time the Blue Jackets have been shut out this season, but it was the 19th time in their 36 games that they've scored two or fewer goals.
"We should create more offense," Gavrikov said. "We had a couple power plays. Couldn’t get it done. Could’ve switched momentum for us, but it didn’t happen. We have to work on that and try to find the next one."
According to Natural Stat Trick, Columbus generated 1.7 expected goals on its 19 shots at even strength. Including power plays, that number rises to 2.03 expected goals on 22 shots — meaning the Blue Jackets produced just three shots across their two power plays, and were far from a dominant offensive force at five-on-five.
Meager offensive production has been an Achilles' heel for the Blue Jackets throughout the season, and it has been a particular issue during their last nine games, with eight losses and only one win. They've scored three or more goals just twice in those nine games, three in a loss to Philadelphia and four in the win over Chicago.
"We haven’t scored the most goals," forward Cole Sillinger said. "We’re scoring one, two, maybe max three goals a game. It’s tough when you get down 3-0 and you’re in the third and you’re trying to fight back. We just have to dig a little deeper and play more together."
Blue Jackets at Senators: Notes
— Forward Eric Robinson left the game in the third period after taking a heavy hit into the glass. Robinson appeared to struggle as he tried to stand up and get off the ice, and he went down the tunnel shortly after returning to the bench. Larsen said Robinson has an upper body injury and the team would get further information on the extent of the injury Wednesday.
— Forward Patrik Laine made his third return to the lineup of the season, after missing six games with an elbow sprain suffered in the first game of the season and then another seven games with an ankle sprain from mid-November to the beginning of December. The latest absence was caused by COVID-19; Laine missed two games after testing positive upon his return from the NHL's holiday break Dec. 24-26.
In his return, Laine skated 16:12 with two shots on goal, two blocked shot attempts, two hits and one missed shot.
— Defenseman Nick Blankenburg is nearing a return from a broken ankle and high ankle sprain he suffered against Philadelphia on Nov. 10. Originally expected to miss six to eight weeks, Blankenburg resumed skating Dec. 22 and joined the team for his first full practice Monday. Neither Larsen nor Blankenburg had a clear timeline for his return, but both expect it to be in the near future.
"I feel pretty comfortable," Blankenburg said. "Just trying to get more involved in practices, be around the team a little bit and kind of just work my way in over the next — I don’t really know exactly when, but hopefully in the next week or two."
Blankenburg traveled with the team to Ottawa and took part in the morning skate prior to Tuesday's game.
Up next for the Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets return to Columbus for a scheduled day off Wednesday before beginning a stretch of three games in four days on Thursday with the Washington Capitals coming to Nationwide Arena. They will then host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday before completing the three-in-four at Washington on Sunday.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets shut out for third time in Ottawa Senators loss
