Jackets find power-play success
It has taken most of the past two seasons, but the Blue Jackets are dangerous on the power play now.
After a 2-for-4 performance Friday in Anaheim, they had scored at least one power-play goal in seven of eight games going into an afternoon matchup Sunday in Las Vegas, including a stretch of six in a row. The Jackets were also 8 for 21 and ranked first in the NHL with a 38.1% success rate during the eight-game span.
“We’re just trying to keep it simple,” forward Patrik Laine said. “If there are plays to be made, we’re going to try to make them, and I just try to shoot a lot of pucks. We’ve just been lucky the last couple weeks and have just tried to keep it going.”
Johnny Gaudreau, Laine, Boone Jenner and the rest of the first unit get the most man-advantage ice time, but a second group led by rookie Kent Johnson, Jack Roslovic and Cole Sillinger is also clicking. Each group scored Friday against the Ducks.
That’s a big shift from the first four months of this season, when the Jackets struggled even getting set up in the offensive zone.
Now, it’s not nearly as problematic if they lose the opening draw of a power play that’s already in-zone at one of the circles. Circling back to regroup and reenter with possession is far more common now than it’s been in two-plus years.
Both units are capable of keeping plays alive inside the opposing blue line, and it’s leading to a lot more scoring chances from dangerous areas. Looking at the season’s stats shows a clear point when the biggest leap began. It was Feb. 14 against the New Jersey Devils, when the Blue Jackets went 1 for 3 on power plays in a game they lost 3-2 on a lastsecond goal in the third period.
Prior to that game, Columbus ranked last in the NHL through its first 53 games, posting a 15.6% success rate (22 of 141) that was weighed down by an 0for-26 start in the first 11 games. Since Feb. 14, however, they’re ranked second in the league at 12 of 40 (30%) over a 15game span.
Laine, in particular, has benefited significantly in that stretch. He ranks second among all NHL skaters with six power-play goals in those 15 games, three behind Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl.