Blue Jackets fall to Ducks 3-2 (10/27/08)
by Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired

With such a little margin of error, the Columbus Blue Jackets continue to find ways to lose.

Such was the case Monday night as the Jackets led by a goal with 10 minutes, 41 seconds remaining in the game end ended up losing 3-2 in front of 10,494, the smallest crowd in Nationwide Arena history to watch a regular season game.

“We had complete control of the hockey game and gave it away,” Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. “To play this well and give it away—I’m frustrated and pissed off.

“For us to win, we had to play 60 minutes, full out, of great hockey and we played 50 minutes tonight,” he added. It’s not good enough—you’ve got to win games 2-1.”

Teemu Selanne scored with 3:55 remaining after Jackets goaltender Fredrik Norrena didn’t freeze a puck with his team down a man and the game tied at two. Norrena’s flub led to Christian Backman turning the puck over and the game-winner.

Jiri Novotny and Derick Brassard scored for Columbus, who has lost three straight games. Norrena stopped 30 shots, a Blue Jacket’s season high.

“We need to break the mold and learn how to win,” Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore said. “With this team there are not going to be any easy wins. They are all going to he hard fought and close. We do not have the luxury of having eight all-stars, so we’re going to have to battle for our wins.”

Columbus dominated the first 48 minutes of the game and battled back after an early deficit.

The Ducks’ Chris Kunitz put a shot on Norrena, who batted the puck to the open stick of Ryan Getzlaf for the easy goal in the empty net one minute, 17 seconds into the game.

The Jackets got the goal back at 4:12 with a man down. Andrew Murray stole the puck from former Jacket Francois Beauchemin at mid ice and skated toward the goal. He took two shots, got both rebounds and skated around the net. As he did, he hit a centering pass to Novotny, who one-timed the puck past Ducks’ goaltender Jean-Sebastian Giguere. It was the first short-handed goal for the Jackets this season.

“It was one of those things where I got a couple of whacks at it and we ultimately scored,” Murray said. “It’s always nice to get a shorthanded goal, and give your team that momentum change.”

The Jackets took the lead 37 seconds into the second period. Jason Chimera, working the back boards, hit Brassard with a centering pass and he put the puck in from the slot.

“The way we played in the first two periods was great,” Hitchcock said. “We did everything we needed to do to win the game. And we had full control the first 10 minutes of the third period—then we gave it up.”

Corey Perry tipped in Steve Matador’s slap shot from the blue line at 9:19 of the third to pull the Ducks even.

Columbus struggled on the power play, going scoreless on six attempts. The team looked disorganized with the man-advantage and it ultimately cost them the game.

“We’re trying to get pucks through,” Jackets captain Rick Nash said. “It wins and loses you games. Right now, the power play is not good enough. We need to practice it and make it better.”

Hitchcock said he is looking specifically for the team to enter the zone on the power play with more speed and better play from those who are playing the point.

The Jackets struggles also are coming from the offense where four players lead the team with seven points apiece and names like Nash and R.J. Umberger are not among them.

One other point of concern is the face-offs. Anaheim won 55 percent of the face-offs overall and 67 percent on the power play. Manny Malhotra was four of 12 and Michael Peca was seven of 15.

The Jackets travel to Colorado Thursday, then return home to host Chicago Saturday at 7 p.m.