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Columbus Blue Jackets reach breaking point in 5-0 loss to Toronto Maple Leafs: Takeaways
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- Columbus Blue Jackets reach breaking point in 5-0 loss to Toronto Maple Leafs: Takeaways
TORONTO — Cracks are starting to show, but the Blue Jackets are determined to mend them quickly.
Each loss piled on top of others feels twice as heavy on the Blue Jackets' shoulders now with just seven games left and their playoff hopes fading quickly. A 5-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday was the latest gut punch, and the apparent unraveling of what's been a memorable season is getting harder to watch.
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This was the fifth time they've been shut out in 15 games since seizing control of the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference on March 1.
Blue Jackets left wing Dmitri Voronkov battles for the puck in front of Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz on Saturday.
They're just 4-10-1 since then, have dropped to 11thin the conference, trail the Montreal Canadiens by six points for the second wild card, have allowed 10 unanswered goals in their past two games and coach Dean Evason felt a need Saturday night to stem a finger-pointing flare-up.
"That's exactly what we addressed," Evason said. "We've stuck together all year. What would we change at this point? Forget about pressure or whatever, all of that. You know, you don't change just because there's a situation that's a little bit negative ... and we haven't. We've done it (finger-pointing) a couple times, maybe, and tonight we certainly did, so we addressed it real early."
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Here are three takeaways:
Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stops the puck against the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Columbus Blue Jackets stick with goalie Elvis Merzlikins after emotional exit against Colorado Avalanche
The way Elvis Merzlikins left the Blue Jackets' 7-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, there was reason to think Evason and goaltending coach Niklas Backtom might shift to Daniil Tarasov in Toronto.
After allowing the seventh goal to the Avalanche on a defensive breakdown that left him little chance to make a save, Merzlikins smashed his stick on the right goal post and then bent it on the ice while skating to the Blue Jackets' bench. That's when Evason made his first decision this season to pull a goalie.
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Tarasov finished the game, Merzlikins snapped his stick in the tunnel area and Evason said after the game that his decision to pull Merzlikins was based partly on performance and partly on his emotional response to the seventh goal. According to TV analyst Jody Shelley during Saturday's FanDuel Sports Network broadcast, Merzlikins took the Blue Jackets out to dinner Friday as a team and apologized for his exit against the Avalanche.
He got the starting assignment against the Maple Leafs and helped the Jackets stay within striking distance for two periods. Evason was asked about the rationale behind starting Merzlikins in Toronto, but his answer said more about the Blue Jackets' frame of mind after another galling loss.
"There was all of us to blame in this hockey game," he said.
Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit battles for the pick with Blue Jackets forward James van Riemsdyk on Saturday.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward shakeup against Toronto Maple Leafs nets better possession, no goals
During their morning skate, the Blue Jackets unveiled a new setup with their forward lines. James van Riemsdyk replaced Luke Kunin as the lone personnel switch, but a shakeup of combinations resulted in new looks on all four lines.
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Dmitry Voronkov moved from Sean Monahan's top line to the third. Kent Johnson moved from the second line to the first. Van Riemsdyk skated on the second line. Cole Sillinger centered the third line and Justin Danforth , who had been handling that role previously, moved to right wing on the fourth line.
"It's just to get a little tweak," Evason said. "As coaches, we sometimes do too much of that, but we like to leave the lines together. We have for a while now. It's just that game (Thursday against Colorado), we didn't particularly like some stuff. ... Hopefully, we made the right combinations (and) put the right magnets in place that will give us a chance to get two points here tonight."
After two periods, the results were a mixed bag.
The Jackets got off to a strong start, rolling all four lines and controlling play, but the Maple Leafs still took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission despite being outshot 12-8. Nicholas Robertson 's first goal was the only one in the first 20 minutes, and he scored it off turnovers by Zach Werenski and Merzlikins.
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Robertson also scored off a turnover by Werenski outside the Jackets' blue line to make it 2-0 in the second period, making the forward lines less of a story. Overall, the Blue Jackets played a solid game through the first 40 minutes. They just couldn't convert any of their scoring chances into goals against Maple Leafs backup goalie Anthony Stolarz , who pitched his second shutout of the season.
Now, they're expected to face Ottawa 's No. 1 goalie, Linus Ullmark , in the back-to-back finale Sunday.
Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies battles for the puck with Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski on Saturday.
Columbus Blue Jackets pay big price for turnovers in loss to Toronto Maple Leafs
Prior to their meltdown in the third, the Blue Jackets played much better than they had the previous two games. They pounced on loose pucks, broke up plays with timely stick checks and even threw their weight around a little more with stiff body checks.
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The problem was twofold.
First, they couldn't get a puck past Stolarz despite their impressive forechecking work. Secondly, two turnovers led directly to scoring chances that Robertson buried. The Blue Jackets have outscored those mistakes before this season, but every little miscue now looms larger with their playoff hopes dangling by a thread.
Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets' woes continue vs Toronto Maple Leafs: Takeaways
