Three Things: Quick Strikes For Key Players, A Third-Period Collapse, and Questioning the Direction of the Blue Jackets

By Rob Mixer on March 11, 2021 at 10:11 pm
Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella instructs his players during a training camp practice at the OhioHealth Ice Haus.
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Not this again.

The Blue Jackets held a 4-1 lead in the third period. Long story short: they lost in overtime. You can read more about the blow-by-blow in tonight's recap. The bigger question is, how much longer can this continue? 

Here are tonight's three things after an embarrassing loss at Nationwide Arena.


IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

Patrik Laine and Max Domi–two players who were in the midst of droughts the length of a CVS receipt–got on the board less than two minutes apart in the third period.

The Blue Jackets' lead went from 2-1 to 4-1 in the span of a TV timeout. Columbus was feeling good, full of energy and confidence, and then it folded like a dinner napkin. Even by their standards, this was an epic collapse in short order. 

Florida scored three times in 9:31, erasing a three-goal deficit to tie the game with a power play goal from captain Sasha Barkov. If, by this point, you were numb to the madness, even this one was hard to ignore. The Blue Jackets' allergy to success is unlike any other and they looked shook after the Panthers rallied to tie the game.

Were a couple of the penalties in this period of time a little...tacky? You better believe it. But you need to find a way to get a big kill, or make a big play. Those plays belonged to the Florida Panthers in the third period.

OFF THE SCHNEID

Domi hadn't scored a goal in weeks. Laine admittedly publicly this week that his confidence was close to "zero." If you're a coach, teammate, or fan, those are words you'd rather never hear again from either player. 

Well, the Blue Jackets got two key goals in the third period from both guys. Goals that, in a normal year under normal circumstances, would have put the game away. 

But wait, there's more...

WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING HERE?

Laine played 2:20 total in the third period and overtime. Laine, their best offensive player. The guy who can make a difference in a split second and who had been struggling with confidence and scored a key goal in the game. As the Blue Jackets melted down, you saw Domi–a frequent target of John Tortorella's ire in these last few weeks–out there in overtime rather than Laine.

What happened next? You can probably guess.

Domi made an ill-advised read and pinch in the neutral zone, rolled off his check, which in turn sprung the Panthers on a chance the other way. A shot, a rebound off Elvis Merzlikins, and a goal scored by Frank Vatrano and the Blue Jackets turned what should have been a sure-fire two points into a loser point.

Laine watched it all happen from the bench. Tortorella said that's how it "worked out" as the third period unfolded. Is that a satisfactory answer, regarding the player you (and your GM) are hoping can rescue your moribund offense? Not in the least.

But that's been the story of this season for the Blue Jackets. If it's good vibes one day, just wait. The other shoe is hovering, patiently, waiting to drop. 

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