Seven games in which the Columbus Blue Jackets have led 3-1 have seen the team blow the lead and lose all seven games. What started out as a trend has now become a tendency, which is not a good thing. The Blue Jackets need to find a way to close out games they have the lead in. So what gives, and how does the team start to turn the tide?
The Blue Jackets blew yet another 3-1 lead Friday night vs the Pittsburgh Penguins. After the game, Zach Werenski said they are sick of talking about it, and Dean Evason said he has nothing to compare this stretch of blown games to.
The team seems to have two separate issues which has led to one big problem; players are overthinking as are coaches. It is as if the team grabs a lead and then expects to lose it. The focus should be on finishing teams off and not overthink things to the point that it feels inevitable they will blow the lead. In other words, play to win, not to lose.
Also, the team's best players should and need to be on the ice in overtime. Case and point in that same Penguins game, rookie Luca Pinelli was on the ice as overtime opened, not Adam Fantilli or someone else, but a rookie playing in just his second game. That is on the coaches.
That said, it needs to be pointed out that Pinelli's play has been solid for two games, and perhaps the feeling was to see what he had to offer in the extra frame. Even with some of the injuries the team is dealing with, the Blue Jackets still have enough firepower to win games they lead in.
It is a time to reflect, regroup, rethink a bit and find the path through this issue.