The Blue Jackets complete a quick turnaround with two games in under 48 hours with today's game against the Oilers, and Columbus looks to rebound from Thursday night's 2-0 loss against Minnesota.
It was an odd game, as the Blue Jackets gave up two goals in the first 10 minutes to complete the scoring. The Jackets might have been a bit rusty after not having played since Sunday, and the team did settle in as time went on, but it couldn't get on the board despite 70 total shot attempts and 30 that hit the mark against Marc-Andre Fleury.
"You take away the first 10-12 minutes, we're OK," head coach Brad Larsen said. "But we were sleeping (early). Too many turnovers and mismanagement. We give up a silly 2-on-1 to their most dangerous line, which doesn't have to happen. Now you're chasing the game. We out-chanced them the last 50 minutes of the game 12-9. We didn't give up much after that, but the damage was done. They're a hard-defending team, and you've dug yourself a hole."
Being ready to go at the start today might be of the utmost importance. This is just the third of five games on the schedule that will be a matinee based on the local time, so being ready at the start will be key.
The bigger issue, though, will be taking on Connor McDavid. The NHL's leader in points by a wide margin, McDavid is on pace for his third career Hart Trophy as well as in the hunt to become the first player to notch 150 points in a season since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96.
"He's lethal anytime he's on the ice," Larsen said. "You have to know when he's on the ice, and even when you know he's on the ice, he has a gear that we haven't seen before. His skating, what he can do at full speed, shoot, pass, he has all of it."
