CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE
Blue Jackets continue to struggle in second periods during losing streak
In their past seven games, a winless skid that dropped them to last place in the Central Division, the Blue Jackets have given up 15 second-period goals while scoring just three goals of their own.
Columbus has been outscored 32-15 overall in the seven-game span, which means nearly half of the goals that have ended up in the net behind Joonas Korpisalo or Elvis Merzlikins have been scored in the middle 20 minutes.
It doesn't take a math expert to see that there's something dramatically wrong happening in the second period.
“I'd say it's just kind of how it's been going this whole year,” forward Cam Atkinson said.
The three goals the Florida Panthers scored in the second period Tuesday broke the game open from a close, onegoal game to a 5-1 blowout. The same was true in Saturday's 5-1 loss to Dallas, in which the Stars poured in four goals in the middle frame.
In those two games, two of Florida's goals came 56 seconds apart and Dallas scored three goals in under three minutes, including two in just 20 seconds.
“I don't really (have an explanation),” defenseman Seth Jones said Monday.
“We played another decent first period, find ourselves in a good game, and then we give up one and we can't seem to stop the bleeding. (The Stars) score three or four pretty quick ones on us, and then that's the game . ... (We need to) keep it a little more simple, get pucks deep and not feed them free transition, free goals, free chances. You can see how that adds up.”
Turnovers leading to free, high-danger scoring chances for opponents have been a common theme in recent games. So, too, has been an apparent difficulty with the long change to the far bench in the second period — something Jackets coach John Tortorella and forward Jack Roslovic have pointed to as a possible explanation.
In Monday night's game, Florida caught Columbus in a line change less than a minute into the second period and took full advantage with a goal from Sam Bennett that gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Tuesday, Bennett once again took advantage of a bad change and Korpisalo had to make a save from point-blank range to prevent the goal.
“I don't think we've been great on changes and it's a long change, so that could be a reason,” Roslovic said. “But I think it's just finishing. Just, when you have your foot on the gas, don't take it off. It seems that we've been that way.”
Whatever the reason is, Columbus doesn't seem to have an answer or a solution. Tortorella preaches situational awareness and attention to detail, beliefs echoed by Jones earlier this week.
“That next shift (after a goal against) is so important, and the little details,” Jones said. “Whether it's wall play, winning that battle and playing in their zone. Whether it's a solid forecheck and getting a couple shots on net. Just doing the little things, I think, after they score to really calm it down and try to gain the momentum back on your side is something that we need to be a little better at.” bjohnson@dispatch.com @baileyajohnson_