New lines, old lines, doesn't matter – the Blue Jackets are struggling to get the puck in the net right now.
Coach John Tortorella has tried just about every possible combination with his forwards – he shook up the lines and tried a few new ones for tonight's game – but nothing seems to be working right now, as the team lumbers into a brutal February schedule.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUE JACKETS | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| SHARKS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Credit to the Sharks, though, who showed the impact that elite special teams can have. Columbus has gone through much of this year as one of the league's best five-on-five teams (although they've taken a step back in that department lately), and while the Sharks aren't slouches in that department, they're firmly in the top ten in the league for both penalty kill and power play percentages.
They added two power play goals tonight (in three chances), while stoping the Jackets' only power play opportunity. That will boost the Sharks' special teams numbers even higher.
The Jackets, meanwhile, didn't have a great night on the penalty kill. No moment was worse, perhaps, than Nick Foligno's penalty.
This gave the Sharks a brief 5-on-3, and they quickly capitalized. That penalty led to Nick Foligno being benched for roughly the next 20 minutes of game time.
Injury Update
Ryan Murray remains out of the lineup, as is Sonny Milano. Neither player has a firm timetable for a return.
Next Up
The Jackets hit the road tonight, set to play the Islanders tomorrow night in Brooklyn. It'll be the first of 10 Metropolitan Division games they will play this month.
After that, they'll face the Washington Capitals twice (Tuesday, Friday) next week.
