Jackets seek answers for power play

ANAHEIM, Calif. — A year has passed, but it looks as if the Blue Jackets’ power play hasn’t aged a day since last November.

Last season, they got off to an abysmal start on man-advantage opportunities and sank to the bottom of the NHL rankings. This year, after a month, it’s practically a repeat performance.

“We’ve got to work at it,” said forward Boone Jenner, who plays regularly in front of the net on power plays. “The way it’s been, it’s not acceptable for us, and we need that to win games for us. Not the other way. It’s something we’ve got to figure out here as a group.”

Prior to facing the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night, Columbus was ranked 29th in the NHL after 13 games, with a power-play success rate of 12 percent (6 for 50). At the same point a year ago, 13 Ducks goaltender John Gibson stops a shot by the Blue Jackets’ Pierre-Luc Dubois during the first period Sunday night.

games, the Jackets were ranked 30th at 12.8 percent and were 5 for 39.

Needless to say, it’s not sitting well in the locker room — especially after allowing two short-handed goals on the same

power play in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night at Staples Center.

“It’s a big part of any team, even if you don’t score,” Jenner said Saturday after the loss. “You’ve got to get that momentum, and

it hasn’t been there for us.”

Even worse, that momentum has started to go in the other direction whenever the Jackets’ power-play units are on the ice.

“We go over the boards, and it’s just … it’s terrible,” captain Nick Foligno fumed Saturday night after the Jackets went 0 for 5 against the Kings and allowed the two short-handed goals. “It’s sucking the life out of our team. And it’s nothing Lars (assistant coach Brad Larsen) is doing and nothing (head coach John Tortorella) is doing. It’s just us. We’re not executing.”

They are trying to fix it, though, with meetings, video breakdowns and as much on-ice work as they can get without risking serious injuries. They’ve also shuffled the deck chairs with personnel.

Nothing worked prior to the game Sunday, which left it up to the players to solve.

“We’re going to keep trying, but the players have to take ownership of it,” Tortorella said. “We’ve just got to keep trying to get it straightened out. That’s all we can do.”