Jackets’ failures with man advantage lead to low-scoring loss

CHICAGO — Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is playing as well as he has all season, which is high praise for the player likely to win his second Vezina Trophy. The Blue Jackets’ defensive play around him has remained steadfast and cohesive.

But until the Blue Jackets’ power play awakens, and until the frost lifts from the fingertips of the club’s top offensive players, the games will continue to play out as they have the last two nights.

In other words, good, but not good enough.

The Blue Jackets played a spirited game on Friday against one of the NHL’s best and hottest teams, but they couldn’t get over the hump against the Chicago Blackhawks because they couldn’t finish their

chances.

The Blackhawks won 3- 1 before 22,112 at the United Center on the strength of two goals by Artemi Panarin, the last one an empty- netter with 43.9 seconds remaining that sapped the drama from a dazzling display.

“I thought we played a hard game, much better than we played ( Thursday in Carolina),” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “I just want us playing the right way, and we went in that direction. Both goalies were good. But they score a couple, and we score one.”

Nick Foligno scored the Blue Jackets’ goal, ending a personal eight- game goal drought. But that was it. The Blue Jackets power play, which hasn’t scored since March 13, went 0 of 4. And that’s an 0- of- 17 drought over the past nine games.

Tortorella said he wanted to see some swagger from his players in one of the NHL’s top settings, and for the most part the Blue Jackets played with an edge all game.

Once they made it past the first minute of the game, that is.

It took 28 seconds for a rambunctious Brandon Dubinsky to take a cross- checking penalty and only 32 seconds for Chicago to take a 1- 0 lead.

The Blackhawks scored four seconds after the faceoff. Panarin was left unattended and blasted the puck past Bobrovsky for his 27th goal of the season.

“The first goal wasn’t going to bother us or get us down,” Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson said.

“Everybody was excited to play tonight. It’s a fun building to play in. It’s a great team. We had tons of chances, we’re just not scoring right now.”

The Blue Jackets quickly adapted to the Blackhawks’ pace.

At 17: 15 of the first, Foligno scored from the doorstep off a nifty feed by Sam Gagner from the end boards. It was Foligno’s first goal — and second point — in nine games.

The Blackhawks needed only 22 seconds to break the 1- 1 tie, however.

Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa played give and take until Hossa wrapped the puck around Bobrovsky.

Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford finished with 32 saves.