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Loss of Hejda wearing on Jackets
By Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired, Photos by Joel Torres
There is no coincidence that the struggles of the Columbus Blue
Jackets started two weeks ago when defenseman Jan Hejda went down
with an injured knee.
In the span of six games since his injury, the Jackets have gone 2-4
and have given up 27 goals (4.5 goals per game), including four in a
4-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes Wednesday in front of 13,184 in
Nationwide Arena.
In Columbus’ 4-1 start with Hejda in the line-up, the team allowed
just 11 goals (six coming in San Jose). The team’s penalty kill at
the time was tops in the league, killing 94 percent.
“We miss him, there is no doubt about it,” Hejda’s partner Mike
Commodore said. “He’s underrated. He’s good on the penalty kill,
power play and five-on-five. At the same time, we have capable
players here. Killing penalties is not rocket science. You have to
work hard and get the puck out when you get the opportunity. We’re
just not doing it.”
Hejda is skating again and could return to the lineup
as early as Sunday in Washington. Teammate R.J. Umberger, who
suffered a similar injury in Philadelphia, returned from the same
injury in two and a half weeks.
“We need him for the long run,” Umberger said. “It’s October, going
into November. We need him to be healthy for the long run.”
The Jackets gave up three power play goals to the Coyotes, who had
former Blue Jacket coach Dave King on the bench as their top
assistant to Dave Tippett.
Martin Hanzal, James Vandermeer and Zbynek Michalek each scored
their first goals of the season and Robert Lang added a goal to lead
the Coyotes. Backup goaltender Jason LaBarbera stopped 31 of 32
shots.
“We were fortunate to get some power play goals and we got some big
saves from (LaBarbera),” Tippett said. “There were a lot of small
gritty plays that we had to make and we got them done. That makes a
big difference for our hockey club and the results of the game.”
Derek Brassard scored for Columbus, while Steve Mason gave up four
goals on 23 shots.
Brassard slammed in a rebound off a slap shot from Kris Russell with
1:39 remaining in the first period. Raffi Torres also created
traffic on the shot, blocking LaBarbera. It was the first time in
seven games that Columbus scored the first goal.
“We had a decent first period and then the turnover machine in the
second,” Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. “We played okay today.
We’ve played a whole lot worse and won hockey games. We’re going to
have to raise our whole level as a group. The penalty killing is a
perfect reflection of this—it’s your competitive level.”
It was all down hill after the first period. Phoenix scored twice in
a three-minute span to take the lead and never looked back.
The Coyotes tied the game at 10:33 of the second on a gaffe by
Mason. Ed Jovanovski took a shot on goal and Mason stopped the shot,
but did not secure it. Hanzal jammed it in through Mason’s legs.
Phoenix took the lead three minutes later when Vandermeer hit a hard
shot from the blue line that ricocheted off the right leg of Fedor
Tyutin.
Michalek gave the Coyotes a two-goal cushon with just under 10
minutes remaining with a slap shot from between the rings on the
power play. Lang beat Mason high on the glove side on the power
play.
“We’re thinking offense first and not picking up defense,” Jackets
captain Rick Nash said. “We’re a young team, so that will happen.
We’ve just got to correct it. We have to be a lot better.”
The Coyotes ended up three-for-six on the power play. The Jackets
were one-for-six and outshot Phoenix 32-23.
The Jackets host Pittsburgh Friday at 7 p.m.
dave.seaman@columbuswired.net
Twitter: @daveseaman94
