Jackets go to work on slumping penalty kill

The Blue Jackets’ penalty kill was thirdbest in the NHL (85.7 percent) through the first 30 games, but the worst (70.8) the rest of the regular season, a sobering statistic underscored in the final three games.

The Blue Jackets were only 5 of 11 (45.5 percent) on kills against Detroit, Pittsburgh and Nashville. Things won’t get any easier when the playoffs start on Thursday. The Washington Capitals’ power play ranks seventh in the league (22.5 percent) and has scored at least once in each of the teams’ four matchups (4 of 10) this season. Predictably, the Jackets devoted a chunk of Tuesday’s practice to penalty-killing.

“That’s going to be a huge point in this series, how we conduct it,” coach John Tortorella said. “It has been inconsistent this year. I’m not going to hide from that. You just try to wipe the slate clean and get about your business here. … Hopefully, we’re smart enough that we keep control of ourselves, our emotions, we’re a disciplined team, and not sitting in that box a whole bunch in this series.”

Tortorella and left wing Boone Jenner said the Blue Jackets have focused on the Capitals’ tendencies. That includes Alex Ovechkin firing away from the left faceoff circle, where Artemi Panarin ripped shots during Tuesday’s practice.

“Everyone in the world knows where his spot is, where he likes to shoot from,” Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray said of Ovechkin, whose 229 career power-play goals rank 10th in NHL history and are 96 more than the players with the next most — Thomas Vanek and Evgeni Malkin — since Ovechkin entered the league in 2005.

Ovechkin has 17 power-play goals this season. T.J. Oshie ranks second on the team with nine. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom have seven apiece.

“It’s tough,” defenseman Ian Cole said. “You go stand somebody over on Ovechkin and they go 4-on-3 on the other half of the ice, and they’ve got four other world-class players out there. You’ve got to find a happy medium where you certainly shade Ovechkin, but certainly are aware of everybody else.”

Philipp Grubauer will start in goal in Game 1, Capitals coach Barry Trotz told reporters on Tuesday.

Braden Holtby was an All-Star this season but has struggled since. He has a 2.99 goals-against average and .907 save percentage in 54 games.

Grubauer, who began sharing starts in midFebruary, has a 2.35 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 35 games.

“Grubi deserves the opportunity,” Trotz said, citing Grubauer’s “body of work” as his reason. “Trust me, it wasn’t an easy decision.”

Tortorella said, “It doesn’t change how we go about our business.”

Center Alexander Wennberg was a greater factor offensively the final two months but enters the playoffs without a point in his past four games. He has two points the past seven.

Wennberg, who has one goal in 16 career games against the Capitals, had one point (an assist) in five games against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs last year.

“I got a lot of experience from it — my first time in the playoffs,” Wennberg said. “I’ve put it behind me. There’s a lot you can learn from, but this is a new season, new team. I’ve just got to take the opportunity and play my best hockey.”