Three Things: Poor First Period Trend Continues, Swept in California and Jack Roslovic Continues Hot Streak

By Derek Harper on April 20, 2022 at 1:39a

The Blue Jackets continued their trend of falling behind early in the first period in their 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center Tuesday night. The Blue Jackets were also outshot 28-24.

Blitzed In First Period

At the 3:52 mark of the first period, the Blue Jackets went to the penalty kill, which had been almost lights out recently up until Tuesday night. Columbus allowed one goal on two kills.

But the Sharks scored on the power play on a goal from Scott Reedy at the 4:39 mark. That goal meant that Columbus gave up a goal in the first five minutes of all three games on the California swing. 

Then at the 8:45 mark, Rudolfs Balcers put it home for a 2-0 Sharks lead, then Reedy picked up his second of the game at the 18:14 mark for a 3-0 Sharks lead.

Roslovic Stays Hot

Neither team put the puck home in the second period, but in the third period, it was Jack Roslovic staying hot collecting two goals. Late in the second period at the 19:37 mark, San Jose was called for too many men on the ice. Scott Reedy who had two goals on the night served the penalty. 

Roslovic capitalized with seven seconds left on the power play for his first goal of the night at the 1:32 mark. But that was the only power play of their three chances on the night that the Blue Jackets were able to score on.

Kent Johnson picked up one of the assists on Roslovic's first goal of the night for his first career NHL point.

Then at the 13:33 mark, Roslovic netted his second of the night for his fourth point in the last five games and third in the last two. He has seven goals in the last five games. But that was it for the Blue Jackets on the night as they weren't able to put home the equalizer.

Swept First Time Since 2008

The loss at San Jose marked the first time since 2008 that the Blue Jackets were swept on a three-game California swing. On December 4th Columbus lost 3-2 at San Jose, then suffered a 3-0 shutout to the Los Angeles Kings on the 6th and finished the trip with a 5-3 loss on the 7th to the Anaheim Ducks.

The Blue Jackets' loss also saw them fall to 24-34-5 and 8-21-2 on the road all-time against the Sharks. On a tough California swing, Columbus saw Roslovic continue his point streak while Johnson picked up his first career NHL point with an assist.