PITTSBURGH ― A loss is a loss and the Blue Jackets have now experienced it 15 straight times in regular season games at PPG Paints Arena dating to Dec. 21, 2015.
That's usually the overriding storyline for the Jackets while playing in what's become a house of horrors for them, but consecutive road loss No. 15 to the Pittsburgh Penguins had a different feel to it Thursday night. The Penguins eked out a 3-2 victory thanks to stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin , but the Blue Jackets were in it to the bitter end.
"They showed up," Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said of his team. "We played with pace, but most importantly, we talked about adversity this morning. We faced adversity the proper way and we tried to make the right plays. We tried to play the proper way, the right way, for three periods."
That was the biggest takeaway for the Blue Jackets (23-38-12), who have eight lineup regulars on their injury report . After having their doors blown off by the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights prior to the Arizona Coyotes surging past them, 6-2, on Tuesday night in Arizona , the Blue Jackets needed to pick up the pieces in Pittsburgh.
They did despite losing a sixth straight game and finishing a painful road trip without a win (0-4-1).
"It's been a tough road trip, that's for sure," forward Mathieu Olivier said. "You want to end it on a good note. I thought we competed. They came at us hard in the second after we opened the scoring. (Goalie Daniil Tarasov ) did an unbelievable job standing tall, and it's disappointing. We really wanted to get a win here, but it just didn't go our way."
Olivier and Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets, who needed Tarasov's 33 saves to stay close while being outshot 36-19. Malkin scored two goals and Crosby added two assists for the Penguins (32-30-10), including the primary helper on Drew O'Connor's winner early in the third period. Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 17 shots for the goaltending win.
Here are five takeaways:
Barack Obama was the president, scientists discovered water on Mars, a new Star Wars installment was released to wide acclaim and the Blue Jackets had Scott Hartnell in their lineup.
That's how long it's been since the Jackets have tasted victory in a game that counts at PPG Paints Arena. Captain Boone Jenner is the only player in the organization who experienced the Jackets' last win there. They've dropped 15 straight dating to Dec. 21, 2015, and won't have another chance to stop the embarrassing skid until next season.
The Penguins have only won more games consecutively against one other opponent — the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets — and the Blue Jackets are now three more losses away from trying that mark of 18 straight defeats. Pittsburgh has also dominated Columbus recently regardless of location, holding a 10-0-1 record in the past 11 games overall.
It's something the Blue Jackets know all too well, and guess who they host Saturday night at Nationwide Arena? At the very least, it's another chance for the Jackets to exact a little pain on the Penguins, who are headed for their second straight season without playoffs.
"Obviously, it's been three years of my time and a longer time for other guys," Sillinger said. "We had new faces here that were playing their first game in this barn, so obviously it would've been nice to change that story. But onto the next one. We've got them on Saturday and a chance to get them in our barn."
Tarasov was beaten three times but was under siege most of the game. That's been the case for both he and Elvis Merzlikins since the Jackets' rash of injuries put eight NHL regulars on the sidelines, but Tarasov continues to be sharp under duress.
Malkin's two goals were scored on power plays and the third, by O'Connor, beat him over the glove early in the third for the eventual winner to cap a 3-on-2 rush. Otherwise, Tarasov was fantastic while making numerous stops that prevented Pittsburgh from turning the game into a rout.
"The main thing is to stay healthy," Tarasov said. "(Not) missing any practices or games helps you a lot. You are staying in the same lane, and you just keep working. It's really important. I changed my preparation for this season, and during the game it's helping me a lot."
Pittsburgh outshot Columbus 36-19 and dominated most of the game's other measures, including 5-on-5 attempted shots (48-39) and high-danger scoring chances (15-8). Without Tarasov's effort, it wouldn't have been close.
"He's been playing good for us for a while," Vincent said. "I think he's finding some momentum to his game, and he was, again, really solid for us. That's really important for us ... for him to build that confidence and for us to know what he's all about."
Malkin entered the game averaging 1.25 points per game against Columbus and Crosby toted a robust 1.45 points per game average against the Jackets into it.
Each merely continued their dominance over the visitors from Ohio, combining for four points on two goals (Malkin) and two assists (Crosby). In fairness to the Blue Jackets, those two have racked up points against all NHL teams during their illustrious careers, but it's like clockwork against Columbus.
Malkin now has 18 goals, 29 assists and 47 points in 37 games against the Blue Jackets, while Crosby increased his totals to 20-39-59 in 41 games. Without contributions from those two, the Blue Jackets' futility in Pittsburgh and against the Penguins, generally, probably wouldn't be an ongoing discussion topic.
"I'm not surprised at all," Sillinger said. "They do it all. They lead their team. They set the culture of their team and the standard, and I'm not surprised they've been a winning team. They're dealing with some stuff right now, but if you give those two guys time and space, they're going to make you pay."
Vincent also isn't surprised to see Malkin and Crosby still leading the Penguins' attack.
"I don't know Malkin," he said. "I know the stats. I know him as a player, but I don't know him as a person. I know Sidney Crosby and I know how he trains in the summer, and his ability to push himself to be uncomfortable ... and that's how he gets better. He's mentoring a guy who's not bad (either) in (Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon ). Those guys train together, and you see it in games. Those guys are just elite and there's a reason for it. It's not only pure talent. ... those guys have found a way to push themselves, and you've seen the results with their careers."
Alexandre Texier 's stint playing on the top line with Johnny Gaudreau and Boone Jenner lasted one game. He was replaced at right wing on that line by Voronkov, who hadn't recorded a point in the previous nine games.
Voronkov didn't end his scoring drought, but he was a lot more noticeable in positive ways than he was Tuesday in a 6-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes . The towering Russian rookie was more involved physically during his 17:08, co-led the team with five hits and nearly scored off a rush that ended with the puck just eluding him in front of an open net.
"I really liked him," Vincent said. "I thought that was a good addition. He was good on the wall, he was going to the net ... I thought he was solid."
Voronkov last scored on March 7 against the Edmonton Oilers . That was his 17thgoal and 32ndpoint of the season, but it's also his only point in the last 16 games. Facing a daunting remaining schedule with almost half the regular lineup missing, the Blue Jackets need Voronkov to get it going again offensively.
Playing with Gaudreau and Jenner might be the sparkplug he needs.
Sillinger and Alexandre Texier clicked in Pittsburgh after being reunited on the Jackets' second line.
Those two plus Kirill Marchenko at right wing formed one of Vincent's most dangerous forward groups, culminating in Sillinger's 12thgoal of the season. That happened during a 3-on-1 rush in which Sillinger gave the puck to Texier and then one-timed a shot past Nedeljkovic on a return feed to the right circle.
Sillinger also set Texier up with a scoring chance in the first that forced Nedeljkovic to make a big save. Putting Texier on that line also moved rookie Mikael Pyyhtia to left wing on a third line that was effective with Brendan Gaunce at center and Olivier on the right.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets make push in Pittsburgh, finish trip winless
