In tennis, matches are played in games and sets. To win a match (and you need to win three total), you need to win six sets. For the Jackets, they finally just lost their game of tennis, with their third loss out of the past four games. Losing 3-6 to Calgary, and 4-6 to Edmonton, the Jackets were easily behind. Columbus then won a match with a 6-4 victory over Anaheim. Last night, the Los Angeles Kings finished the Blue Jackets off, with a 2-6 victory. This ended the tennis match with a 3-1 set total, and helped to reveal the problems that are evident in Columbus' lineup.
Game Recap
After allowing 16 goals in just three game, the Columbus Blue Jackets came into Staples Center hoping to grab a victory, while not allowing to many goals in their own net. Los Angeles had a very different idea, and they made sure to aim for it quickly. Just five minutes into the game, Michal Handzus (5) sent the puck past a confused Steve Mason. Only 49 seconds later, Anze Kopitar notched his ninth goal of the year, this time past a now dazed Mason. It was clear that Columbus wasn't up to tonight's game, and they were suffering.
Some hope came later in the first, when Rob Scuderi hipchecked Jason Chimera dirtily. Chimera went down hard, and the Jackets were fired up, and they were ready to party. Chimera attempted to push towards the bench, and got a game misconduct for that. Derek Dorsett even jumped off of the bench to fight with Scuderi, only to get a misconduct himself. The Jackets were smoldering, and they were ready for revenge.
Antoine Vermette was the first of the Jackets to utilize this spark, grabbing his third goal of the year. Not only does this give Vermette a point in each of the last five games, but it also really helps out my fantasy stats. The Kings threw water onto the fire, however, when Jarret Stoll (3) and Kopitar (10) scored. Though Kristian Huselius (5) later got a power play goal, the set was over, and Columbus had lost the entire tennis match.
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