The Columbus Blue Jackets insisted they weren’t rattled by Sunday’s late-minute loss on Long Island. However, two days of separation and a trip to the other side of the continent weren’t enough to recalibrate.
The Blue Jackets gave up a pair of goals 36 seconds apart, falling behind 2-0 to the Calgary Flames 1:32 into the game Wednesday in an unfortunate start to what became a 5-1 loss for Columbus before 16,802 at Scotiabank Saddledome.
It may have been a more damaging night beyond the scoreboard.
Sean Monahan, the Blue Jackets’ top-line center and one of their most reliable forwards, left the game early in the third period after trying to play through an injury suffered on a hit by Calgary’s Rasmus Andersson late in the second period.
Monahan was in obvious discomfort as he spoke with a Blue Jackets trainer on the bench immediately after the hit, which happened along the end boards in the Flames’ end. The veteran center finished the second period but left the game at 4:45 of the third.
Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason did not have an update for reporters in Calgary after the game, saying that Monahan was being evaluated.
If Monahan misses significant time, it could be devastating for a Blue Jackets club that is trying to end a five-year playoff drought. He missed 28 games last season with a wrist injury, and while the Blue Jackets compensated for a while, they endured a 1-7-1 plunge in March that effectively tanked their season.
Columbus was the last club eliminated in the Eastern Conference, missing the eighth and final playoff spot by two points.
If Monahan is out, look for 21-year-old center Adam Fantilli to replace him on the top line between winger Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko. Fantilli, who played in Monahan’s spot while he was injured last season, became a major offensive threat for the Jackets down the stretch and finished with 31 goals, tied for tops on the club.
The Blue Jackets traveled to Vancouver after the game and will have an off day today before returning to practice Friday. They play the Canucks at 10 p.m. ET Saturday in Rogers Arena.
They’d better hope this off day is more successful as an emotional reset than Monday’s off day following the 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders. In that game, the Jackets led 2-1 before allowing the tying goal with 1:07 remaining and winning goal with 38 seconds remaining.
In the wake of that loss, you expected Wednesday’s game to go one of two ways.
Either the Blue Jackets, spittin’ mad, would come out with their hair on fire against the NHL’s last-place club — the Flames have been struggling, especially offensively — or the Jackets would wander in a haze, struggling to get their legs under them and match the energy of a desperate Flames club.
It was mostly the latter.
“We didn’t seem like we had a bunch of jump, early,” Evason said. “We’ll watch and see why. We thought in spurts we were real good.
“But we didn’t do the right things we talked about all the time to give ourselves a chance to win.”
Calgary’s Morgan Frost redirected a Jonathan Huberdeau shot past Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves only 56 seconds into the game. Seconds later, Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner turned over the puck deep in his own end, beginning a sequence that ended when Calgary’s Blake Coleman scored through a screen from high in the left circle.
It was 2-0 Flames before the Blue Jackets had a shot on goal.
“We spot them two goals that quickly and we’re playing from behind all night,” Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski told reporters. “That’s never fun.”
The Blue Jackets showed signs of life later in the first period and early in the second.
MARCHY GETS THE SHORTY!🚨
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Marchenko, who has dabbled in penalty killing this season for the first time in his career, scored his first short-handed goal on a breakaway at 6:57 of the first period, pulling the Blue Jackets to 2-1.
It felt as if the Blue Jackets had steadied themselves after Calgary’s strong start, and they had copious chances to tie the score early in the second period. However, the Jackets lost their way and allowed two goals in 37 seconds to help the Flames put it out of reach.
Dante Fabbro, playing next to Werenski on the top pair in the injury absence of Denton Mateychuk, carried the puck deep into the zone, skating behind Calgary’s net and attempting a pass to Werenski in the left circle for a one-timer. But Fabbro’s pass was deflected wide of Werenski, and it sent the Flames off on a two-on-one.
Nazem Kadri, playing in his 1,000th game, scored off the rush from the left circle to make it 3-1 at 7:47 of the second. At 8:24, Adam Klapka finished a two-on-one, and it was 4-1. The Flames added an empty net goal in the third.
“It got away from us because we allowed it to get away from us,” Evason said. “We had seven scoring chances in the second period before they scored (the 3-1 goal).
“One thing we’ve praised our group about all year is that we haven’t shot ourselves and been out of hockey games. We’ve stayed in games until we’ve had an opportunity to win hockey games. When you go down three goals, you’re not giving yourself a chance.”
The Blue Jackets fired 43 shots on Calgary goaltender Dustin Wolf, including 22 in the third period. The Jackets had 85 shot attempts (43 on goal, 24 blocked, 19 missed) compared to just 45 for Calgary, but they dug too big a hole early in the game.
“I like the way we played in the third when we were behind and pressing,” Werenski said. “That’s the way we have to play for a full 60 minutes, though.”
