Generating scoring chances and shots are no longer an issue for the Blue Jackets.
Scoring goals is this current problem after eight games and it bit them again Saturday in a 2-0 loss to the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena. Despite putting 34 shots on net, the Jackets (3-3-2) were unable to solve Semyon Varlamov in the Islanders’ second shutout victory in their first seven games.
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“He’s getting paid too, right?” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said of New York’s veteran backup. “He’s a good goalie. We had our chances, a few posts … but our shot selection wasn’t the best, I thought.”
The loss in regulation ended a four-game point streak for the Blue Jackets. The win was the second in a row for the Islanders, who have nine points and moved past the Jackets third place in the Metropolitan Division via tiebreaker. Columbus is sixth with eight points.
Kyle Palmieri and Matt Martin scored goals for the Islanders (4-2-1), who kept Blue Jackets goalie Spencer Martin busy with 31 saves on 33 shots. Martin, the goalie, played another strong game in the Columbus net but fell to 1-2-0 in four appearances.
Varlamov was better by just enough for the shutout win. Vincent would’ve preferred better shot selection by the Blue Jackets.
“We’re shooting from bad angles at times,” he said. “We want to create some O-zone (time), we want to have a shooting mindset, but there’s lots of things we can improve, defensively but also offensively. … I thought we didn’t select the right plays offensively. Makes the goalie look good, but he played well, really well.”
Columbus Blue Jackets vs New Yorks Islanders: Dispatch 3 stars
First star
Semyon Varlamov, Islanders, goalie
Recorded the 39th shutout of his career and fourth against the Blue Jackets with a sterling 34-save performance.
Second star
Kyle Palmieri, Islanders, right wing
Scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal late in the first by crashing the net and scoring off a rebound to give New York a 1-0 lead.
Third star
Spencer Martin, Blue Jackets, goalie
Made 31 saves in a losing effort, keeping the Blue Jackets in the game until allowing the Islanders to build a 2-0 lead late in the third period.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders: turning point
The Blue Jackets lost a draw in their own end late in the first period and it led to Palmieri’s goal to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead. Martin made a nice save on a surprise shot from the right half wall by Pierre Engvall, but the rebound went straight to Palmieri for a putback from the lower half of left circle.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders: play of the game
Varlamov made several key stops to keep the Blue Jackets from scoring a tying goal, but none bigger than a snag of Jack Roslovic’s hard wrist shot off a rush up the right wing 6:45 into the third. Roslovic tried to beat him into the top right corner and the Islanders’ goalie snapped it out of mid-air. He also made a great save on a Roslovic one-timer late in the first to keep it 1-0.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs New York Islanders: notes
— The Blue Jackets continue to play a game of musical chairs with their 13 forwards. Kirill Marchenko was scratched in this game and Kent Johnson returned to the lineup after sitting Thursday in Montreal. “We had a good chat with our forwards,” coach Pascal Vincent said. “It’s crystal clear. We can only dress 12 (forwards), so we’re going to make some hard decisions. We told them this morning that it’s all about performance. It’s the NHL.”
― Vincent didn’t officially name a starting goalie after the morning skate. Martin led the Blue Jackets out for pregame warmup, which was the first indication he was starting. Vincent said the delay in naming a starter wasn’t related to an injury issue with Martin or Elvis Merzlikins, who started the previous two games. After the game, Martin said he was informed Friday that he’d make the start.
― The Blue Jackets successfully killed the Islanders’ three power plays and improved to 15 for 17 (88.2%) shile shorthanded in the past five games. On the flip side, the Jackets went 0 for 3 on power plays to end a three-game streak of scoring with the man-advantage.
— During the Jackets’ four-game point streak, they scored the first goal in each game. The Islanders scored first Saturday and proceeded to end the streak.
Columbus Blue Jackets lineup vs New York Islanders
Forwards
Johnny Gaudreau – Boone Jenner – Jack Roslovic
Alexandre Texier – Adam Fantilli – Emil Bemstrom
Kent Johnson – Cole Sillinger – Justin Danforth
Dmitri Voronkov – Sean Kuraly – Mathieu Olivier
Defensemen
Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov – David Jiricek
Jake Bean – Erik Gudbranson
Goalies
Spencer Martin
Elvis Merzlikins
Scratched: F Kirill Marchenko, D Andrew Peeke, D Adam Boqvist
Injured: C Patrik Laine (upper body)
Injured/non-roster: G Daniil Tarasov (knee)
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets breakdown: Islanders win on Varlamov shutout
