In Columbus, it may as well be a broken record across the NHL this early season. On Saturday night, the Blue Jackets blew a two-goal lead and lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-3.
Boone Jenner scored and and Jack Roslovic‘s shorthanded strike gave the Jackets a 2-0 lead in the first period.
“It’s tough to get wins in this league and you’re going to have to be up for a full 60 [minutes],” Jenner said. “Our start was good. We didn’t have the same energy in the second and the third, so they’re going to make you pay.”
Tristan Jarry made 29 saves in the Pittsburgh win.
“We got totally outplayed in the first period, obviously, when I say that,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I give our players a lot of credit. I thought we responded after that.”
Columbus was outscored 6-1 the rest of the way.
The Pens got on the board off a goal from Josh Archibald in the second period.
“He brings a ton of energy,” Sullivan said. “That’s the game that he brings to our team, and when he does that, I think his energy is contagious. I thought he did a terrific job with his physical play. His energy was a big part of us getting into the hockey game.”
Columbus recaptured the two-goal advantage with a strike from Josh Archibald, his first career NHL goal.
The rest of the way was a nightmare for the Blue Jackets. Danton Heinen hit for a double, Sidney Crosby added a single marker.
“In the first, we just got outworked and didn’t execute well all the way through,” Crosby said. “[Jarry] made some big saves. It could have been a bigger deficit than it was. He gave us a chance to get back into it in the second.”
Jan Rutta had a goal to cut the Columbus lead from 3-1 to 3-2.
“We let some things distract us tonight in some areas later in the game,” Columbus coach Luke Larsen said. “There’s a sour taste right now because of some things.”
Elvis Merzlikins made 33 saves in the Jackets loss.
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