Blue Jackets: Bobrovsky benched, over failure to meet ‘expectations’

COLUMBUS, OHIO— Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky missed Thursday night’s home date against the Nashville Predators in the wake of an unspecified team “incident.”

Bobrovsky got the hook after allowing four goals on 19 shots in a 4-0 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night and had words with coach John Tortorella on the bench. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement “there are certain expectations and values that we have established for our players that define our culture. An incident occurred in which Sergei failed to meet those expectations and values.”

The 30-year-old Bobrovsky has a record of 18-13-1 in the final season of a four-year contract, with a 2.87 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. He was expected to rejoin the team for Friday’s practice.

Backup Joonas Korpisalo got the start against the Predators, with AHL call-up J-F Berube on the bench.

“I knew after last game that I’d be playing so I had a pretty good heads-up,” Korpisalo told NHL.com.

“That’s good. I had time to prepare for this.”

Tortorella declined to comment after Thursday’s morning skate.

“There’s no sense asking,” he told reporters, “and as far as the players, I’ve already told the players there’s no sense in talking about it either. This will be handled inside.”

Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said the incident wasn’t a distraction.

“We’re a team that’s gone through a lot of adversity over the time I’ve been here,” Foligno told NHL.com. “This is nothing new and not anything that’s going to define us and we’re going to go about our business.”