It's not how you start, but how you finish.
Still, the Columbus Blue Jackets would love to make it easier on themselves and start off their games with a little more energy.
#CBJ head coach Brad Larsen on the Jackets' slow starts: Well look at it. But I certainly like how we finished.
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) October 21, 2022
Like on Tuesday night, when the Blue Jackets dug themselves into an early hole, allowing two first period goals to the Vancouver Canucks. Late-game heroics in the form of Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski each scoring clutch third period goals helped force overtime, setting up Vladislav Gavrikov's game-winner to seal the club's first win of the 2022-23 season.
Looking to carry over the momentum from Tuesday's win into Thursday's game against the Nashville Predators, instead, the Blue Jackets followed Tuesday's blueprint to a T.
Once again allowing two first period goals, the Blue Jackets sleepwalked through the first period before coming alive late. It was nearly 3-0 in favor of Nashville before head coach Brad Larsen wisely challenged Roman Josi's second period goal for a clear off-sides, a challenge which didn't take long to review and the Blue Jackets won easily.
After winning that challenge, Justin Danforth was able to cut the deficit to one goal, but Yakov Trenin's goal just over a minute later had Nashville ahead by two at the start of the third period.
Fortunately for Columbus, they've been able to bail themselves out of the early holes.
Gaudreau has a four-game point streak (four goals, two assists), including three third period goals in the last two games. As a team, the Blue Jackets have put together six third period goals in the last two games—including a four-goal third period for the 5-3 win on Thursday night—after not having a third period tally through the first three games.
As we saw last season, the Blue Jackets set a franchise record with 23 comeback wins, and they're relying on that formula so far this season.
#CBJ have won each of the last 2 games despite trailing 2-0 in each contest. Its the 5th time in club history that the Blue Jackets have earned consecutive multi-goal comeback wins (also Feb. 8-10, 2022, Apr. 2-4, 2015, Jan. 19-22, 2011 and Feb. 27-24, 2008). Courtesy #NHLStats
— CBJ Public Relations (@BlueJacketsPR) October 21, 2022
While it's nice to know a team can come back, no doubt they'd like to make games a little less exciting.
"You can look up all the analytics you want, it's not a good recipe when you start going down 2-0 and think you're going to come back," Larsen said after Thursday's win.
There's obviously been a few key contributors to the Blue Jackets' resiliency of late.
The club happens to be 2-0-0 with Nick Blankenburg in the lineup and 0-3-0 without him. In his season debut versus Vancouver, Blankenburg had four shots on goal to go with his game-leading five hits.
"You noticed him, huh?" Larsen said following Tuesday's win. "The kid's fearless. He just goes and plays.
"When (Blankenburg) had a couple of hits, it lifted our bench. He makes a big hit, we get a power play. He does it again later in the period. He's a competitive kid. That starts to bleed into your group for sure."
Blankenburg just wants to contribute in any way he can.
"Five-nine, 175 (pounds), I feel like I don't really play like that," Blankenburg said. "I'm just trying to bring energy to the team, down 2-0, get the guys going.
Blankenburg was on the receiving end of hits early in each of the last two games which might have helped get him into the flow of the game.
"They want us playing aggressively as (defensemen)," Blankenburg said on Tuesday. "It's easy for me because skating comes a little bit easier to me so it's nice if I can gap up, especially if I'm not afraid to lay a hit on a guy. It's big for me."
Against Nashville on Thursday, Blankenburg assisted on Gaudreau's first goal of the third period with a lead pass for the breakaway. Then Blankenburg scored the game-winning goal at 18:37.
In addition to a two-point night, he had two hits, two shots, and two takeaways in 15:36, leading the way for the first star of the game honors.
Mathieu Oliver only has one assist on the season, and zero points in each of the two wins, but was credited by Larsen for a first period fight on Tuesday that brought energy to the team.
Special teams have also been critical. Though the power play has been anything but powerful, failing to register a goal in 13 chances, the club killed off all five penalties on Thursday. They're eight-for-eight over the last two wins.
Still, the fact remains that the start of games has to improve.
Just as the Blue Jackets have been able to complete the comebacks against the Canucks, who have dropped five straight games and blown five consecutive leads—including a span of four consecutive multi-goal leads—and the Predators who have dropped four straight games, a tall order awaits on Saturday night.
The 3-0-1 Pittsburgh Penguins come rolling into Nationwide Arena following their own 6-1 win on Thursday over the Los Angeles Kings.
Nationwide Arena will certainly be rocking. Will Columbus?
