Jackets ‘scratch and claw’ for one-goal wins
GLENDALE, Ariz. — It’s not often that a hard-fought, one-goal victory over a lastplace team can turn one’s fortunes around, but the Blue Jackets hope their 2-1 win Thursday does just that.
The Jackets won two of their final three games before this weekend’s All-Star break with a shootout win over the visiting Dallas Stars and then Thursday at the Arizona Coyotes.
“We’re still trying to find ways to play right through all minutes of the game,” coach John Tortorella said. “It’s about trying to be more consistent in how we play. We come out of the break going into this break winning two of the three games — no matter how ugly it was. Until we get ourselves more consistent … we’re going to scratch and claw to get points.”
Earlier this season, the Jackets looked a lot like the bunch who set franchise records last year with wins and points. They were rolling over opponents, but those days haven’t been seen in some time.
Thursday was yet another fight for the Blue Jackets. Of their past 18 wins, 12 have come by a single goal — including eight consecutive.
“We have been patient and haven’t been miserable when we have been pushed down,” defenseman Markus Nutivaara said.
The Jackets and Coyotes were scoreless heading into the third period before Alexander Wennberg got a chunk of a Seth Jones shot to make it 1-0. The Coyotes tied the score on a power-play goal minutes later with newly activated Cam Atkinson charging the net and scoring the winner for the Blue Jackets with 3:03 remaining.
“We have to get into the flow of the season but it’s hard to do that playing three games in (12) days,” Tortorella said. “We won two of three and we’ll keep on working.”
50-50 chance
Tortorella used his challenge for the second consecutive game with a claim of goalie interference when Richard Panik hit Bobrovsky on a goal scored by Brandon Perlini.
As was the case in Vegas, the call went against the Jackets and the goal stood.
“I’m taking a chance; I think there’s an opportunity,” Tortorella said. “I know the puck seemed to be in the net, but there’s a guy there stopping Bob from moving his right leg. They looked at it for quite a while. I’m 50-50 on that. But at that point in the game, I’m making a call there. You never know what you’re going to get there.”
As for the gamble of using his challenge on the goal: “The only consistency (on call reversals) is the inconsistency,” Tortorella said. “As a coach, you have to understand that. I’m not trying to circumvent the rule, but knowing how inconsistent the calls have been, I’m taking a chance.”
Getting healthy
Wennberg had a piece of both goals against the Coyotes and goes into the break with three points in his past two games. Wennberg played in his fifth game since missing eight because of a back injury.
“For us, it’s fun to be back,” Wennberg said. “Every time you play, you try to win and if guys are out, you try and make the most of it. Right now we have the team we have and we need to make the most of it.”
Atkinson said he hopes to “reset” his season after missing less than a month because of a broken bone in his right foot. Atkinson, who signed a sevenyear contract extension worth $41 million earlier this season, came into Thursday with six goals and 13 points in his first 32 games.
“I don’t really want to remember the first half of the season,” Atkinson said. “It wasn’t great. I want to start off fresh and start off on a good note.”
Said Tortorella: “We’re trying to get guys going and (Atkinson) comes back and gets a big goal. Wennberg makes a couple of big plays in the second half of the game. It gets us a win and maybe gives them a little bit of confidence.”