Predators top Jackets in Nationwide
Jackets’ offense weak around the net in loss
There were many good minutes for the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, including on special teams.
The penalty kill that surrendered three power-play goals in the third period the night before was perfect against the Predators, and the first unit of the Jackets’ power play created several scoring chances.
But ultimately, it comes down to the Jackets finding ways to win games like this one, captain Nick Foligno said, and on this night, they couldn’t.
The Jackets pulled even in the third period on a spectacular steal and score by rookie PierreLuc Dubois, but gave up the go-ahead goal to Calle Jarnkrok with 5:35 left, and an empty-netter to Viktor Arvidsson in the final seconds of a 3-1 loss at Nationwide Arena.
“We got good chances, but I don’t think we generated enough around the net,” said Foligno, who was robbed by Predators goalie Pekka Rinne on a shot from the slot in the waning seconds of the first period.
“I don’t think we were dirty enough in those areas to score goals off rebounds. The second opportunities you need to have, like their second goal — a shot off the pads and he’s there to bang it in.”
Joonas Korpisalo stopped Miikka Salomaki’s hard
shot, but the rebound went straight to the stick of Jarnkrok, all alone in the slot to score the deciding goal. The Jackets challenged the goal, claiming goaltender interference by Kevin Fiala.
Replays showed Fiala plowed into Korpisalo, but the goal was upheld with the referees ruling that Fiala lost his balance because of a check from Jackets defenseman David Savard.
That was enough for the Predators to hold off the Jackets on a night Rinne made 35 saves.
“Pekka played unbelievable tonight,” said defenseman Seth Jones, who had five shots on goal. “He made a lot of big saves late in the third period that kept the lead. That’s what he does best. We could have gotten more bodies in front of him, disrupted him a little more.”
The lack of traffic in front of the net was the Jackets’ biggest weakness Tuesday, coach John Tortorella said. Too many shots came from the outside. The Jackets had several chances on four power plays, but came up empty each time, including after Filip Forsberg was sent off for tripping with 5:10 left.
“We’re close, but we just couldn’t find a way to score a goal tonight when we needed it,” Tortorella said.
One night after allowing three powerplay goals in a 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers, the Jackets’ penalty kill shut down all four opportunities for the Predators to keep the team within striking distance.
Dubois then pulled them even at 4:37 of the third period when he stole the puck from Predators defenseman P.K. Subban in the neutral zone, outraced Subban and Alexei Emelin down the ice and beat Rinne topshelf on the breakaway.
The Jackets couldn’t get the game to overtime, though, to salvage at least one point. It was their third consecutive loss.
“They’re the team that found that one at the end to give them the lead, and we didn’t,” Foligno said. “What I like is we have two days here (before the next game) and we always seem to regroup well and get ready for big ones like this weekend.”