Jackets understand Panthers piling it on
Florida’s late push leads to Columbus’ 7-goal loss
Once the Florida Panthers went up 6-0 on the Blue Jackets in the second period Saturday, it became clear they wouldn't take their foot off the gas pedal.
As expected, they continued to swarm the visiting Blue Jackets in the third. Florida pinned the puck into the Columbus end, created scoring chances by the bushel against goalie Joonas Korpisalo — who replaced starter Elvis Merzlikins with 6:32 left in the first — and scored three more goals to make the smattering of fans left in the building delirious with anticipation.
At that point, a 10th goal felt like a formality.
The Blue Jackets didn't cave all the way, though, preventing it by finally making a stand in the last nine minutes of the 9-2 loss. They needed that desperation, too, because Panthers coach Andrew Brunette didn't exactly call off the dogs.
He switched up a couple of lines and defense pairings, but continued to run members of his top two lines and pairings onto ice for multiple shifts in the final six minutes. Jonathan Huberdeau, whose 53 points are tied for second among all NHL scorers, was one of them.
He put one shot on net and attempted two others in the final 3:09, while Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekblad and others joined him in the hunt for 10.
Some teams might've taken excep“why
tion to it, starting scrums or even a brawl. The Blue Jackets, outshot 51-30, just took their medicine.
“You can't take offense to it,” said Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski. “They're just playing hockey. I mean, as a team we should be embarrassed by it, the fact that they're even in that position to try and score a 10th goal. In terms of them and the personnel they're putting on the ice … I don't blame them, to be honest. They were feeding it to us all night. It's our own fault we're in that position, so I guess you can't really take offense to it.”
Jackets coach Brad Larsen agreed.
would they stop playing?” he said. “They played the full 60 (minutes). They're doing what they're supposed to do. They're trying to play the game. It's our job to stop them. It's not their job to stop playing and not ring up 10. No, I'm not mad at them.”
The Blue Jackets have endured some tough losses the past couple of seasons, but nothing even comparable Saturday.
“I'd say it's probably the most embarrassing one,” Werenski said. “I think when their crowd starts chanting, ‘We want 10,' and they're one away, I don't know if there's a more embarrassing feeling in hockey.”
While he was unhappy with his team's effort, Larsen had high praise for the Panthers, who are 8-0-1 in their past nine games and average 6.75 goals in that stretch.
“It's the best team we've faced, there's no question,” Larsen said. “We've only faced them once. From what I've seen and who we've played … that's the best game someone's played against us. They're at the top of the league for a reason. They're a fast, hardnosed team. They smell blood. They attacked the game, they defended hard. What do you say? They completely dominated us. Period. There's nothing more to say.”
Blowout not worst in Jackets history
Saturday's final score ranks high on the Blue Jackets' all-time lists for goals allowed in a game and margin of loss. But it wasn't record-setting bad.
The most goals the Jackets have allowed in a game came in a 10-2 loss March 30, 2002, in San Jose, which tied a franchise record set that season for largest margin of defeat — eight goals. They've lost by eight three times, including 8-0 to Boston in 2002 and 9-1 to Detroit in 2009.
PANTHERS 9, BLUE JACKETS 2
Columbus 0 0 2—2
Florida 4 2 3—9
FIRST PERIOD: 1. Florida, Verhaeghe 12 (Barkov, Weegar), 0:46; 2. Florida, Duclair 16 (Huberdeau, Ekblad), 2:07 (pp); 3. Florida, Weegar 3 (Ekblad, Reinhart), 9:27 (sh); 4. Florida, Verhaeghe 13 (Reinhart, Weegar), 13:28. Penalties—nyquist, CBJ (tripping), 2:00; Duclair, FLA (slashing), 7:30; Texier, CBJ (holding), 16:08. SECOND: 5. Florida, Huberdeau 15 (Bennett), 2:02; 6. Florida, Lundell 8 (Lomberg, Hornqvist), 12:10. Penalties—kukan, CBJ (high sticking), 7:13; Juolevi, FLA (holding), 16:52.
THIRD: 7. Columbus, Nyquist 9 (Domi, Bean), 2:11 (pp); 8. Florida, Bennett 15 (Duclair), 3:40; 9. Florida, Lundell 9 (Weegar, Ekblad), 7:33; 10. Florida, Hornqvist 8 (Lomberg, Luostarinen), 10:14; 11. Columbus, Jenner 15 (Nyquist, Peeke), 10:50. Penalties—gudas, FLA (interference), 1:02; Weegar, FLA (high sticking), 13:33. Shots on goal: Columbus 9-8-13—30; Florida 20-16-15—51. Power plays: Columbus 1 of 4; Florida 1 of 4. Goalies: Columbus, Korpisalo 4-7-0 (36 shots-31 saves), Columbus, Merzlikins 13-9-1 (15-11); Florida, Bobrovsky 19-3-3 (30-28). A: 15,088. T: 2:18.