The Columbus Blue Jackets sleepwalked through a 3-0 loss to the Florida Panthers, and it was one of those games where nothing went right.
The offense was nonexistent. The goaltending was just alright. The pushback was missing. And the turnovers were glaring. I've written several film sessions this year that keyed on turnovers, and it took a fair bit of restraint to not just copy and paste from a prior article.
Here are three turnovers (also known as Panthers' goals) from the loss:
Turnover #1
1-0
— Alison (@AlisonL) April 4, 2021
After the #FLAPanthers disrupt the attempted exit by #CBJ, Barkov capitalizes pic.twitter.com/7lijZJmFPQ
Alexandre Texier and Liam Foudy both made soft plays exiting the defensive zone. Texier made a one-handed pass to Foudy, then Foudy tried to take the weak pass with one hand. Neither played worked out, thanks to the pinching MacKenzie Weegar.
Seconds later, Aleksander Barkov capitalized on the turnover.
Turnover #2
Later in the second period, the Blue Jackets were again in full possession of the puck and coming up ice. This time, Patrik Laine tried to kick the puck wide to Cam Atkinson, but it was picked off by Frank Vatrano. Vatrano walked in on a 3-on-1 and sniped home a shot past Joonas Korpisalo.
Turnover #3
3-0 #FlaPanthers
— Alison (@AlisonL) April 4, 2021
Another #CBJ neutral zone turnover leads to a goal against. pic.twitter.com/f1oMJ5WzzN
Another neutral zone turnover, this time from Atkinson's stick as he tried to feather an aerial pass to Nick Foligno. The puck was batted out of mid-air and turned the other way in transition. Unlike the first two goals, which quickly became odd-man situations, the Blue Jackets had four players back in coverage. Foligno was late coming back in transition, which allowed Gustav Forsling to walk in uncontested (stick taps to Barkov for the exceptional delay-play).
Turnovers have plagued the Blue Jackets all season long, and Sunday's loss was just another example in a frustratingly long run of sloppy games.
