Coyotes 5, Blue Jackets 1
It was a rough night in the desert for the Columbus Blue Jackets as the team took a regulation loss to the Phoenix Coyotoes.
 |
| NHL.com |
Neither team managed a goal in the first period. The Jackets started off slow and down in the shot category, down 8 shots to 2 at one point. That trend extended into the second when the Coyotes had 17 shots to the Blue Jackets 7. But as Feder Tyutin proved just 5 and a half minutes after the first intermission, it only takes one shot to get a goal. The slap shot went past the Yotes' tender Jason LaBarbera who was replacing injuried starting goalie Mike Smith. Smith substained a lower body injury and did not return.
The injury to Smith could effect the local Gwinnett Gladiators as they are the ECHL affiliates of the Portland Pirates and Phoenix Coyotes. The Pirates will likely send a player to Phoenix (actually San Jose, where the Coyotes will play on Thursday) sending a Gladiator up to stand between the pipes in Maine. Phoenix got to play that annoying goal-scoring coyote howl sound effect not too long after that. A rebound was put home by Steve Sullivan about two minutes after the Tyutin goal. Another wrister from Oliver Ekman-Larsson off a mishandled while Jacket tender Steve Mason was caught off guard. Mason got the start over Sergei Bobrovsky who had great performances for the Blue Jackets in the opening two games, getting the team into a shootout both nights. In this shortened NHL season, all teams will likely be using their backup goalies significantly more percentage-wise than they would otherwise since the time between games is a lot less than normal.
Each teams demonstrated great discipline throughout the first part of the night. Neither team send too many men to the box, including a penalty-free first period. Both teams took silly "too many men" penalties in the second, including an extremely disappointing one for Columbus with just three seconds left in the 2nd.
 |
| NHL.com |
The frustrations started showing late in the game as evidenced by a roughing penalty and a slashing call. The Jackets have to control their emotions if they want to give themselves a chance to win late in the game. And the way this team has looked so far, there will be quite a many games to be won in the last period. The final tally would be 5-1 for Phoenix.
It was disappointing the team wasn't able to get more shots on goal, particularly immediately following the replacement of injured Phoenix goalie Smith. Smith was a big part of the impressive Phoenix run in the playoffs last year, so the Blue Jackets needed to pounce on the opportunity to face an unprepared goalie. Actually, they never really took a lot of shots on goal, even after the "first minute jitters" as the Coyotes outshot the Jackets 42-26. Since they gave their starting tender Bobrovsky the night off, the Jackets really needed to have a strong defensive showing, and they simply did not do that. The Coyotes needed a big game after a slow start to the season (two losses), and they certainly got it against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night.
It was disappointing the team wasn't able to get more shots on goal, particularly immediately following the replacement of injured Phoenix goalie Smith. Smith was a big part of the impressive Phoenix run in the playoffs last year, so the Blue Jackets needed to pounce on the opportunity to face an unprepared goalie. Actually, they never really took a lot of shots on goal, even after the "first minute jitters" as the Coyotes outshot the Jackets 42-26. Since they gave their starting tender Bobrovsky the night off, the Jackets really needed to have a strong defensive showing, and they simply did not do that. The Coyotes needed a big game after a slow start to the season (two losses), and they certainly got it against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night.
 |
| NHL.com |
The Blue Jackets will play on the road again tomorrow in Colorado with a 9:00 start time.
