Jackets Fall To Stars Despite Tarasov Effort

The Columbus Blue Jackets can’t seem to catch a break. A mere few hours before their home game against the Dallas Stars, Columbus announced it would be without center Cole Sillinger for the night due to an injury sustained in Boston, and captain Boone Jenner for 3-4 weeks due to a broken thumb.

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FIRST PERIOD

In the first real chance for Dallas, a two-on-one breakaway four minutes into the period, Daniil Tarasov came up big with a left pad block to keep everything knotted at zeros. That seemed to wake up the home team as they marched down the other direction and took two shots on the Dallas goal forcing Jake Oettinger into saves.

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Through the period Tarasov continued with save after save to keep things even, and the defense did its best to keep the rebounds from reaching Stars players. On the offensive end, Columbus continued to take chances and shots, which were mostly on frame, but Oettinger managed to keep the Jackets off the score sheet to end the period tied at 0-0

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SECOND PERIOD

The Stars broke the deadlock within the first minute of the period on a Wyatt Johnson score from just to the right of Tarasov for the lead. 

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Columbus continued to generate chances on the offensive end while trying to keep the deficit at one goal. The inexperience of this young team is visible. The chances being created in the offensive zone are just lacking that final touch. Columbus is only down by one goal because of Tarasov’s performance in net.

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The first penalty of the game came with 6 seconds left in the period for slashing by the Stars’ Nils Lundkvist. Obviously nothing came out of it in this period

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THIRD PERIOD

While the CBJ couldn’t capitalize on starting the period with a man advantage, they continued to put pressure on Dallas but their shots seemed to take more of the spray-and-pray variety. The shots WERE, in fact, on frame, and that was it. There didn’t seem to be any directional aim on those shots and they ended up mostly in Oettinger’s bread basket.

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Columbus almost managed a tying score but the puck skipped behind the Dallas keeper and was left wanting for someone in blue to poke it in.

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Brad Larsen opted to pull Tavarov in favor of an extra skater with 1:30 left in the game in attempt of finding a tying goal, but Dallas seized the opportunity and scored and empty netter a few seconds later to ice the game and extend the Blue Jacket’s losing streak to four.

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Columbus finally managed to score with 14 seconds on a rebound followup by Kent Johnson.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

• It’s really tough to judge the development of this team when they seem so snake bitten with injuries

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• As mentioned earlier, most of this team has very little experience at this level and it showed tonight. I believe they should embrace the mentality that this will be a learning season. Brush off the pressure of having signed Johnny Gaudreau and embrace the learning

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• Columbus now heads to Philadelphia tomorrow to take another shot at turning things around.

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