Disputed penalty on Jones sets up winning goal in OT
MONTREAL — The Blue Jackets never trailed during three games this season against the Montreal Canadiens.
That doesn’t mean they left the Bell Centre in a good mood Tuesday night after a 1-0 overtime loss.
Several players and coach John Tortorella were furious with an overtime holding call on defenseman Seth Jones that led to the game’s only goal, credited to Alex Galchenyuk, with 1:07 left. As the sellout crowd celebrated, Tortorella walked across the ice and barked at an official. He also was upset with a slashing call on Boone Jenner at the end of the second period.
The coach showed restraint when asked about the officiating afterward.
“Don’t try to work me with what went on,” Tortorella said. “We played a good, hard game. So don’t try to bait me into anything. Let me just answer the questions about the game.”
The Jackets finished the season series 2-0-1 against the Canadiens, outscoring them 12-2.
The Canadiens probably were happy that they won’t see Sergei Bobrovsky again, unless the clubs meet in the playoffs. He made a slew of stunning saves, robbing Max Pacioretty several times, including once in overtime. Montreal thought it had won the game in OT when Pacioretty jammed the puck over the goal line after being stopped on a breakaway, but officials ruled no goal.
Bobrovsky finished with 29 saves. Carey Price also was outstanding with 26 saves for the shutout.
The Jackets played without center William Karlsson, who missed the game because of illness. With no extra forward on the trip, they used seventh defenseman Scott Harrington and he played sparingly. The Jackets’ remaining three centers took turns skating between Markus Hannikainen and Josh Anderson.
The absence of Karlsson, arguably the club’s the best penaltykilling forward, further diminished the depth of a short-handed unit already without Matt Calvert and Lukas Sedlak, who both are out with oblique strains. The Jackets’ penaltykillers were tested twice early and responded well thanks in part to a few big saves from Bobrovsky.
The first period ended scoreless but the Blue Jackets hit the crossbar three times, including twice on shots by defenseman Zack Werenski.
Jenner joined the ping parade midway through the second period, hitting the left post behind Price. Ringing iron aside, the Jackets didn’t generate nearly enough prime offensive chances through the first 40 minutes. They went nearly halfway through the second period without registering a shot and managed just 13 shots on goal heading to the third.
Bobrovsky was the busier goaltender and made a sterling stop on Artturi Lehkonen with 6:56 left in the second. By then, Tortorella was scrambling his lines as the minutes of centers Brandon Dubinsky and Alexander Wennberg began to mount.