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Jackets get Ducks on second half a road back-to-back

October 11, 2019, 8:40 AM ET [7 Comments]
Thomas Townsend
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The season is young with a very small sample size. It is hard not to over-analyse the 3 or 4 regular season games most teams have played. While there will be some surprise teams in reference to the last few seasons, teams don't change overnight even with the addition of one or two key players. Or in the case of the CBJ the subtraction of one or two key players (or four...or six).

The Ducks started off the season with three victories. A 2-1 win in their home opener against ARI, a 3-1 defeat of rival SJS and a road W at DET. In their second road tilt of the season they fell to a Crosby led PIT team that was absent Malkin. They come to Columbus tonight for the second half of a back-to-back and the third of 4 games on an east coast swing. No one on their roster has more than one goal through 4 games with the points leader amassing only 3. It is easy to say that John Gibson has been the key to early season success having started all 4 games posting a 1.26 GAA and an outstanding Sv% of .961 allowing only 5 total goals thus far.

On the flip side the Jackets are 1-2 with losses to TOR (home) and PIT (road) and an OT victory over BUF (home). As mentioned above the Jackets lost in free agency this year. Those subtracted from the roster were significant and well documented (Duchene, Dzingel, Panarin, Bob...). This iteration of the CBJ has one notable UFA addition in Nyquist but has mostly been back-filled with prospects (Tex, Bem, Elvis, Lilja...just to name a few). In three games Cam has 2 goals to lead the way and The Captain, Nick Foligno has 3 points to pace CBJ scorers. Not surprising, goaltending has been the issue. In 2 starts (1-1) Korpi's stat line isn't pretty: 3.44 GAA, .851 Sv% and 7 total goals. Elvis' welcome to the NHL was epic, or better stated an epic fail. He gave up 7 goals and saved 83% of shots faced. After that start there is nowhere to go but up, so we will see a better Merzlikins next outing.

Don't expect much in the way of line up changes tonight as Korpisalo is expected in net. Anderson is out tonight for the second game with a day-to-day upper-body injury. The only changes may come at the bottom of the defense. Exceptional depth at that position leaves deserving players in the stands every game. The four-fighting-for-two-spots are Savard, Garvikov, Harrington and Kukan.

Final Notes
The Jackets have made the playoffs the past three seasons. Here is how they started in the first 3 games of each of those seasons:

2018: 1-2 with and OT victory at DET and two home losses, one to CAR and the second to COL, both losses coming to eventual playoff teams.

2017: 2-1 with a win in the home opener versus NYI, a loss at CHI followed by a road victory in OT against CAR.

2016: 1-2 in three straight home games to open the season (L to BOS, L to SJS and W over CHI).

I bring this up to illustrate that 3 games is a small sample size and doesn't necessarily point to where this team is going. It also means that a 'bad start' can be overcome. The changes in the off season have impacted the trajectory of this team, but remember that the CBJ were a 100+ point team before Panarin arrived and can be again without him. TOR and PIT are not bad teams, both made the playoffs last season and should be in the mix to make it again this season. Most feel that tonight's game is a win-able game as the Ducks struggled last season and have a hard time scoring. Gibson is a difference maker, but the Jackets may not see him tonight on the second half of two games in two nights. Scoring from Columbus will again need to come early with a good dose of team defense. This is a drum I will beat all season as 'keys to victory'.

Thanks for reading.
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